Planet's Eyes
by Twin Kats
Summary: Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect // FF7HP crossover // Reno/Rufus/Cloud? // AU
1. Traveling

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus / AU_

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* * *

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_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_So, for this chapter…I __**strongly**__ suggest a re-read. Though most of the content is the same I've added a bit more that will be important later, as well as re-wrote some parts to fit my style._

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_**Planet's Eyes  
Traveling**_

**Ignorant Lands: **_Dursley Residence_**, **_**μ εyλ**__** 1994**_

Harry let out a barely audible groan as he curled up on his side. Vernon hadn't taken the news of his Godfather being the escaped criminal well, and so far Harry's summer was looking to be the worst ever.

Especially if his uncle wouldn't stop the beatings; he wasn't too sure if he'd even survive…

* * *

Sirius frowned as he stared up at Number Four. It wasn't the first time he'd felt drawn to the house, nor was it the first time he'd felt the inescapable fear and worry course through his body. It was, however, the first time he'd ever really acted on it, and he only really acted on it after he had been given a little push.

Who knew the dead could be so enlightening?

He really had to thank that woman Ilfana for bringing him to his senses and showing him just what these feelings meant, and Merlin be damned if he wasn't going to act on them now.

_'Dumbledore and the Wizarding World won't know what happened until its too late.'_ Sirius growled. _'No one keeps a Potter ignorant and molds them into a martyr. No one hurts a Potter without consequences, and I'll be damned if I let this go further.'_

_"Then don't let it, Sirius Black," _was whispered in his ear, and the whisperings only urged him on. Growling low in his throat he stalked towards the back door, hunkering down into the shadows until night became more prominent; thinking back on that rather interesting meeting two weeks ago.

* * *

_Sirius was lounging on a beach, biting the end of a quill in thought of what to write his godson to let him know he was okay and to see how things were. Although the current pull at his mind and the pain swallowing his heart for some unknown reason was making it really hard to concentrate._

_"You know, it'd be easier if you didn't ignore the Planet."_

_Sirius jumped up and whirled around, holding the quill before him like a weapon, only to freeze at the sight of the ghostly woman standing there._

_"Who are you," the animagus eventually growled out._

_"I am Ilfana," Ilfana said. "I'm here because you keep ignoring the Planet."_

_"The Planet?"_

_"Gaia, Sirius Black; or Earth, as you know it…"_

_"Gaia? Earth?" Sirius frowned, smoky blue eyes narrowing._

_"Yes; she's crying out to you. You can hear her, can't you? You've always been able to, and she's always helped you," Ilfana stated._

_"The...Earth is sentient?" Sirius blinked._

_"Of course," Ilfana said, surprised. "Where do you think all life comes from? Gaia is our Mother; her Life Blood flows through us. Do you not know anything?"_

_"Oi! I know things," Sirius said, insulted._

_"But nothing of the Planet," Ilfana sighed. "Just follow her, Sirius Black, she cannot lead you astray. As of right now you are the only one capable of helping her on this side of Gaia. You are the only one capable of hearing her on this side. Listen to her and do as she say's or Shiva help me..."_

_"Whoa lady, calm down," Sirius backed up. "What is the...Planet trying to tell me? And who's Shiva?"_

_"Sirius Black don't ask me I'm only the messenger!" Ilfana snapped. "Listen to her yourself!"_

_Sirius backed up further but nodded hastily._

_"Okay!"_

_"Good. Now I have to return to the Lifestream; and please, do hurry or it might just be too late," Ilfana said in parting before disappearing into streaming green lights._

_Sirius blinked and then muttered, "Now where have I heard this before?" he shrugged and then glanced towards his parchment._

_A quick, sharp, breath and a gasped out "Harry!" was all the escaped convict could get out before racing off to find Buckbeak._

_Harry needed him and __**now**__._

_And somehow, the fact that he just realized this, made him feel as if someone was immensely proud of him, even if a bit exasperated._

_It was a strange feeling._

_He kind of liked it._

_

* * *

_

"Filthy sonova..." Sirius snarled from his crouched position by the door. "I should just off them for the nerve of-"

_"Help him! Revenge is not what's needed here. Wait no more, Sirius Black!"_

"Right, right," Sirius mumbled, eyes narrowing. "Now where..." his head snapped up to the darkest window on the house and his eyes narrowed further. "There," he hissed before turning back towards the kitchen. "Up the stairs...best go when they're distracted; living room?" Eyes still narrowed the animagus shuffled forward slightly to get a better view of the living room from the kitchen. "Move you stupid bint," he growled to Petunia who was washing in the kitchen. He could already see the elder Dursley and his progeny staring avidly at the box of pictures.

_"You need to be educated..."_

"Yeah, yeah," the Lord Black grumbled. "I'm not the smartest when it comes to mundanes..._finally!_" Petunia had left the kitchen. Sirius waited until she was firmly seated in the living room before slipping through the cracked kitchen door. He carefully made his way towards the hallway, pausing to make sure none of the Dursley family could even see him. Petunia was still facing the hallway so he had to wait. "How that bitch is related to Lily I'll never understand," Sirius muttered darkly, eyes tracking the family's every move. Petunia turned away.

_"Now!"_

Sirius darted into the hallway and up the stairs quickly; his light footsteps causing no sound to come from even the squeaky steps.

"Second window, right," he muttered over and over under his breath, and stopped in front of a door with tons of locks. "Of all the nerve-!"

_"No time, hurry!"_

"I'm hurrying," Sirius growled, pulling out a multi-function pocket knife. He quickly sprung each lock and pushed the door open. The room was dark, eerily so. Sirius couldn't see a thing, but the smell was horrid of that much he could tell. Slipping the door shut behind him he flipped on the lamp and froze.

"Those filthy pieces of-" he started, dashing towards his unconscious godson's side. "Harry?" he asked, stopping his tirade to try and wake the teen. "Harry, can you hear me?"

_"He's unconscious. Too hurt; __**heal**__ him!"_

"_How?_"

_"__**Heal him**__!"_

Sirius jerked, feeling an unknown power rush through his veins as a small orb formed from the same streaming lights that Ilfana had disappeared into and almost immediately he knew what to do.

"Cure," was whispered and the more serious injuries faded. Sirius pocketed the orb, _knowing_ that Harry was not in any more immediate danger for the moment, and relaxed slightly.

_"Hedwig."_

"Hedwig," Sirius mumbled, turning sharply towards Hedwig's cage. "Hey girl; we're getting out of here now, okay? He's safe enough for one apparition now...but you need to get out of here."

Hedwig let off a soft hoot.

"You'll find us, right girl?" Sirius asked and Hedwig bobbed her head in reply. "Good girl; let's get you out of that cage." He quickly undid the latch, swinging the door open, and carefully pried open the window to allow Hedwig to fly out. "You find us, girl. Harry'll need all the help he can get. Now go!"

Hedwig flew off and Sirius turned back towards Harry.

_"One apparition,"_ Sirius said in tandem with the voice that had been whispering softly beside him and bent down, scooping his godson up into his arms. With a sharp turn and a loud crack he and Harry were gone.

The Planet's worry eased for the moment; her child was safer now.

* * *

Four months, twenty apparitions, and about ten casts of Cure later had Harry completely healed, although not yet awake. Sirius would have been worried more about his Godson's unconscious and unresponsive state if he wasn't given an explanation.

Ilfana was apparently much more than a messenger; she was also Sirius' teacher since he had apparently missed out on "Gaia 101" in Hogwarts.

For now the duo were aboard a boat going from Japan to the continent known as Wutai. It had taken about three weeks to arrive in the country, really, but Sirius hadn't the funds, nor understanding of the language, to do anything for another three months.

It was during the whole trip that Sirius, through Ilfana's teachings and the quiet whisperings of Gaia, had come to terms with the odd feelings, thoughts, and the knowledge of just _what_ his Godson was to the Planet as a whole.

More than human…more than Cetra…more than _WEAPON_…and still much was missing, to Sirius at least. Ilfana had said he had to learn about half of what he needed to know on his own; while she was there to teach she was really more of a guide. It was through her insistence and Gaia's silent whisperings that Sirius had even headed in the direction of Japan, and eventually Wutai.

"Why head to the Known Lands?" Sirius had questioned once, in India, as he meditated after having cast yet another Cure on Harry. Ilfana had been telling him about the world they would enter, and Sirius was curious.

_"Even though they are killing the Planet,"_ Ilfana had replied, _"it will be the safest for him."_

"No where is truly safe," Sirius frowned.

_"That may be so, but from the evils of the Ignorant Lands he will be safer in the Known Lands,"_ Ilfana had explained calmly.

"What if he is seen on our way there?" Sirius had mumbled after a few moments of silent contemplation.

_"That Restore materia does not only heal, Sirius Black,"_ Ilfana had told him. _"While it's not special like the White Materia my daughter holds, the Planet made it specifically for you and your young charge. By the time you reach the Known Lands he will be different, slightly so, and so shall you."_

"Like a glamour..." Sirius murmured.

_"Only permanent,"_ Ilfana had finished and Sirius poised his next question.

"What if they learn his 'condition'?"

* * *

It was on the third day at sea that Harry awoke and Sirius was almost deliriously happy at that.

"You gave me and the Planet quite a scare, cub" Sirius murmured to the shocked teen.

"Siri?" Harry whispered back hoarsely.

"Yes; I'm here. Relax Harry..."

"Where?"

"I'll explain later; you need to rest right now...tomorrow, when you wake up again, I'll explain what I can, okay?"

"But..."

"_Harry_...you were hurt badly. You've healed up now but…you still need your rest. Here, drink…" Sirius tipped a glass of water to the young teen, "and sleep, okay? A little longer won't hurt anything."

"When did you get so smart...?" Harry wondered tiredly, eyes drooping.

"When I got my priorities straight," Sirius said dryly. "Now rest; I'll tell you later."

"'Kay..."

* * *

During the rest of the week long trip Sirius' education from Ilfana finished, and Harry's education began. His young charge took to the knowledge rather well, in Sirius' opinion. He even took to the changes in his appearance nicely too.

When asked about it all Harry had said was, "Everyone knew me by my face alone; I was always told I looked like my dad, but now I'm more like mum...and I like that."

Not long later Sirius had taken to calling Harry "red" instead of the nickname "cub" that had been formed when he was a child. Harry in turn began to call Sirius Padfoot the more he got to know his godfather.

When they reached Wutai they rested for about a day before taking off. When asked why they weren't staying there Sirius had stated that they stood out too much.

"We need to blend in with those more like us, Red," Sirius told him calmly. "That's why we'll be going to Midgar. It's more along what we're used to. Now did you practice writing and reading the script? You'll need to have a fair comprehension once we get there…"

Harry nodded didn't say anything more.

* * *

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996**_

Harry's fifteenth birthday had come and passed by the time they reached Costa del Sol, as he had turned fourteen while comatose in Japan. It had taken Sirius, and Harry, a long while to scrounge up the gil required get any farther than Rocket Town. So long, in fact, that the New Year had already passed them by. It was February now.

The duo spent two days of pure relaxation in Costa del Sol upon Sirius' insistence that Harry deserved it for all the hard work the teen had put into his studies. Those two days were cut short when Harry, who looked almost feminine with his shoulder length bright red hair, was accosted by two drunkards.

It was the first time that Sirius realized the gravity of some of what Ilfana and the Planet had told him about Harry's abilities, and what could happen if he lost control.

More than human…more than Cetra…more than _WEAPON_…and Sirius understood much clearer now of Harry's limitations caused by his _pre-teens_ as Harry insisted they called them.

He had said, when Sirius asked, "I never was a child."

Sirius vowed to fix that, but first would come helping the teen on his control to prevent another _incident_ such as Costa del Sol. Said incident ended with a whole block practically in ruins before Sirius was able to locate and calm Harry. They left two hours later with some pilfered gil and a stronger resolve.

Ilfana suggested more meditation exercises while the two here hunkered down on the ship heading to Midgar. Sirius implemented them immediately. He also began to up Harry's lessons on how to fight, and how to fight dirty, knowing that they weren't going to be having the best living conditions. Drawing attention was a big no, and since they barely had any gil anyway the two would be living in the Slums underneath the Plate.

It was on that ship that Harry had finally decided upon a new name for himself, something he and Sirius had been discussing since first arriving in Rocket Town. It was originally Ilfana's idea, and Sirius took to it (especially since Harry rarely called him Sirius anyway) and now bore the name Grim. Harry liked it, but had hesitated concerning his own until then.

"What's th' name?" Sirius asked. Harry tilted his head before smiling slightly.

"Reno," he said.

"Any partic'lar reason?"

"No' really, Padfoot; it just seems right."

"Ah."

When Sirius spoke to Ilfana next, telling her of the names they'd chosen (which she knew already, having been watching them) she told him that both she, and the Planet, approved.

* * *

They arrived outside the Midgar Slums where Ilfana visited them one last time.

"_You're new life begins now,"_ she said. _"Your journey here has taught you much…but you have more to learn." _Sirius smiled at her; his smile faded shortly after her next words._ "Watch out for my daughter, will you? She doesn't understand…and she needs a Teacher…she—"_

"I understand," Sirius interrupted with a whisper, "and I promise ta do my best."

Iflana left them and the two entered the Midgar Slums to begin their new life.

* * *

end chapter.

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_Wow. Okay, this has been a little bunny that hasn't wanted to leave me be since Shi-kun forced me to begin watching FFVIII cutscenes. He wants me to 'broaden my horizons' on the FF verse. It's not my fault I'm not that much of a gamer, and the only FF games I've played are DoC (AC apparently doesn't count as it's a movie; pooh) and that I have this issue with "aesthetically pleasing" things, meaning I dislike looking at block figures and twitching/glitch-filled moving graphics._

_However I bear with it, if only to shut Shi-kun up and sate my own curiosity._

_Shi-kun, I mean no disrespect towards you when I say 'shut you up' okay? I love you, my friend, but honestly you can be a bit much -.-;;_

_That's not a bad thing, though! Don't think that! Don't hate me!_

_Okay, I think I've prostrated myself for my friend enough XD_

_Pushing past that, this idea actually came around when Shi-kun decided to shoot down the idea of "Squall = Harry" on the grounds of it would never work._

_Really Shi-kun, how can you know it won't work if you don't even try?_

_Don't kill me!_

_So, like my __**Blood of the Mother**__ idea this has to do with the connection of Reno's green eyes and Harry's...only now I've dragged in Sirius, lol._

_Right, I'm also sure you all can guess __**what**__ Sirius is. If you can't, I honestly pity you because I'm pretty damn sure I made it obvious._

_Also this idea has similar basing as __**Planet's Child**__ and if you even look at my profile and check the stories I have listed you can probably guess how they have similar basing._

_It also has similar grounds as another idea which I have, but no chapters on that are even forthcoming. That story has the working title __**Full Circle**__ and is more focused on Vincent, Lucrecia, and Harry. It is also where my CloudRufus obsession truly began...it was a random pairing idea._

_Ignore the rambling there._

_Finally yes I have most of this story planned out. I'm doing a heck of a lot of research into the FFVII verse (materia, layout, storyline/script) to make sure I get this working right. As you may have guessed this'll be focusing more on the Turks, however AVALANCHE makes a lot of appearances (it has to do with Sirius' role in this fic...you'll see later on) among other things. It will go through CC, 7, AC, and Dirge although each of these will be short segments most likely, with 7 being the longest I am sure._

_Then again I'm not 100 percent sure; I still have a heck of a lot more research to do._

_That's everything of importance I believe. Review! They make the world go 'round, stave off depravity of the author, and for every review made an author lives a day longer._

_On the flip side for every reader who __**doesn't**__ review an author loses lifespan._

_Yeah, kick that one around for a while._

_OH! There'll be language, some might even be really foul, but seriously, what can you expect? It's Reno, 'nuff said. Yaoi too, and prolly a lot of innuendo...again, what can you expect? It's Reno...although Sirius might play a bit on that too...hmm..._

_Most pairings for this story are up the air, barring RenoRufus. That's a definite no changer (unless I get enough reviewers who claim Cloudykins should join in a threesome...I might make an exception then)_

_Tata!_

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	2. Growth

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

* * *

_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_As for this chapter __**not much was changed**__ as not much needed to be changed. Mostly timeline references and whatnot. I shortened the span that Reno and Grim had been in the Slums. It's now just a few months. Either way you might wish to reread this chapter for kicks. Nothing was added otherwise or changed otherwise._

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_This chapter is dedicated to:__**Lady Cinnibar**__,__**Rekki^_^**__, &__**hittocerebattosai**_. _For the reasons view the A/N at the end of the chapter._

_**Planet's Eyes  
Growth**_

**Known Lands: **_Midgar Slums circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996, May**_

Grim and Reno had been living in the Midgar Slums for about four months now. It hadn't taken either of the duo long to blend in, and even shorter a time after that for other residents of the Slums to believe that Grim and Reno had always been there.

Apparently living "incognito" in Rocket Town helps ones blending skills immensely. Still there were the rare few who didn't fall in line with everyone else. Those rare few knew, and realized, that Grim and Reno despite fitting in hadn't always seemed to exist and thrive in the Slums.

One of them was the flower girl, but neither Grim nor Reno really minded her.

* * *

"Reno!"

Reno turned his now mid-back length hair moving swiftly as he did so.

"Aerith," Reno nodded. "What'cha doin' down 'ere, yo?"

"Oh..." the fourteen year old girl trailed off slightly before smiling, "I was able to buy this for you with the gil I earned from the flower sales!" she said brightly, holding out a small leather thong.

"Flo'er girl..." Reno trailed off. "Don' go wastin' ya 'ard earn'd gil on me, yo." He shook his read hair.

Aerith pouted cutely, knowing that Reno was just worried, especially since he used the affectionate term he'd given her 'flower girl' instead of her name.

"Mother and I have enough gil to last," she told her red headed friend firmly. "Besides, I thought you were tired of being mistaken for a girl?"

Reno pulled a face at Aerith's words and begrudgingly took the leather thong.

"Fine," he grumbled, "if only ta shu'up th' idiot's, yo." Aerith giggled at his response, and at his seeming inability to tie his hair back.

"Here. Let me help," she said, taking the leather thong out of his hands and moving behind him to pull his hair back at the nape of his neck.

"I coulda don' it jus' fine, yo," Reno mumbled, embarrassed. Aerith hummed in response and pulled back with a smile.

"There!" she laughed. "Done!" Reno gave her a small smile in response.

"T'nks," he turned his head away slightly. Aerith studied Reno for a second and then nodded.

"It looks better pulled back," she decided and Reno chuckled.

"Whate're," he replied. "Grim wan'd ta know if 'Myra was needin' 'nie 'elp, yo."

"Mother's fine," Aerith replied. "I'd better get back to the flowers, though..." she then added, "Tell Grim I said hi and thank you for the lessons!"

"Eh, sure," Reno shrugged and then turned. "Get outta 'ere saf'ly, yo!"

"I will. Bye, Reno!"

"Ya too flo'er girl!"

Reno watched with near disinterest as Aerith turned and walked off.

"Cutie," he chuckled with a shake of his head. "Ah well; now s'what was I s'posed ta do, yo?" He tilted his head before nodding. "Righ'...food."

Hands in his pockets, and back slightly slouched Reno made his way off to snag both him and Grim some food from the market.

* * *

"Wha's tha' Red?" Grim asked the minute Reno stepped back into their hidden alcove. A patch of flowers, not unlike the one's found in Aerith's church, were off in the farthest corner shedding some highlight on their dismal home.

"Hmm?" Reno tossed the vegetables that he was able to nick onto the table. "Tha's all coul' get, yo," he added. "S'was begin'n ta catch 'tention."

"It'll do f'now," Grim replied, checking over the pieces of fruit. "Ya didn't ans'r, Red. Wha's tha'?" Grim pointed to the rod Reno had in his hand.

"This?" Reno asked with a raised eyebrow, raising the rod. "This'n an EMR. Stole it offa drunk, yo." He hit a switch and the rod began to pulse with electricity. "Nifty, eh?"

"If'll keep ya safe," Grim murmured. "An' th' tie, yo?" he motioned towards Reno's hair.

"Flo'er girl," was the simple response.

"Ah."

It was all Grim needed to know anyway.

* * *

**Known Lands: **_Midgar Slums __circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996, June**_

"Fuck!" Reno cursed, eyes darting at the trio of old men that had surrounded him. They had only been living in the slums for almost five months now; the former attacks to Reno's person pretty much ending after the fifth month rolled around. Of course he had to go and save the dirty red head from getting beat up. "'M warnin' ya, back off, yo," Reno growled.

"Nah," one of the men said. "Ya mak'a bet'r prize." The group laughed and Reno sneered.

"Ya fun'ral," Reno mumbled and flipped out the EMR he had gotten a hold of. He ducked as one of them aimed a punch, and dodged to the side as the other kicked at his midsection before lashing out with his leg at the third, catching the man in the gut. He dashed under one of their lunges, thrusting his elbow up as he did so, catching the second guy in the gut before coming in close and kneeing the third.

"Bitch," the third growled as the second yanked at Reno's ponytail. Reno cursed, and tried to pull off the attacker. The first guy moved to grip his arms while the second still had his ponytail in his grasp. Growling Reno kicked out with his feet, catching the third in the face, flicked on the electricity on the EMR and thrust it behind him, hitting the first guy, while reaching with his other hand to grab the second's head which he then bashed into his own.

Free from their grip Reno danced away, breathing heavily. One was definitely down, he noted, taking in the electrocuted form of the first guy. The second let out a yell and leaped forward. Reno twisted and lashed out with the EMR; he went down quickly, leaving Reno to eye the final guy warily.

He didn't notice a forth coming from the shadows, however he did notice when his hand with the EMR was grabbed and twisted painfully. Grimacing Reno's fingers twitched as the grip tightened, forcing him to drop the EMR which the new guy caught expertly.

The next thing Reno knew was pain.

_"AHHHHH!"_

* * *

Twitching heavily Reno lay curled up on the ground. The kid he had saved had come back, knocked out the forth guy just as Reno felt his vision began to fade to black, snapped up the EMR and kicked down the third guy before shutting the rod off. The red headed, brown eyed boy then proceeded to help Reno up and drag him off to his current home under a bridge where Reno had collapsed, still twitching from the lovely electrocution he had gotten.

"Ya 'kay?" the kid asked, eying Reno.

"'M'fine, yo," Reno mumbled, still twitching slightly.

"T'nks," the kid mumbled. "Fa savin' me."

Reno just chuckled.

"Gotta name, yo?"

"Rod," Rod grinned and Reno chuckled.

"Do an'thin' special, Rod?" Reno questioned as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Jus' a runner," Rod shrugged.

"For who?"

"'Di," Rod replied.

"Ah. They part'a 'Di?"

Rod grimaced and nodded.

"G'luck th'n," Reno shook his head before shakily standing. "T'nks for th' 'elp; see ya 'round, yo." Reno snatched back his EMR, ruffled Rod's hair, and staggered away.

Rod watched him leave with sharp brown eyes and a slight grin.

* * *

Reno had run into Rod about four more times in the two weeks since their first initial meeting. One of those meetings Rod had noticed Reno trying to hide a distinctive scar on his forehead. The next time Reno saw Rod, Rod had a pair of goggles that he gave to the red head.

"Wha's this for, yo?" Reno had asked.

"I'saw ya try'n ta ke'p tha mark cov'erd," Rod stated. "Shoul' 'elp, yeah?"

Reno had found himself smiling, and giving the younger kid a nod.

"Yeah. T'nks."

"S'least I cou'do."

Over the next two weeks Reno sporadically ran into Rod another two times, each time he noted the more confidence the kid had grown. It was on the sixth time that Reno ran into Rod that Rod met Grim.

"Wan'd ta t'nk ya," Rod said to Reno. "Th' spars 'elp'd."

"Eh? Good ta know, yo," Reno shrugged.

"'Di's gotta new leader," Rod said after a few moments silence.

"'E 'nie good?" Reno questioned, tilting his head slightly with the EMR settled on his shoulder.

"Ya lookin' a'im," Rod said with a grin.

"Heh."

"I wan'd ta tell ya tha' if'n ya need 'elp in an'thin' tha' 'Di's willin'," Rod told Reno seriously. "Ya 'elp'd me; s'least I could do."

"I don' need 'elp, yo," Reno told Rod plainly.

"Tha's 'cause ya t'damn st'born, Red."

"Ah shu' ya trap, Grim," Reno turned slightly to view his gray eyed, stringy black haired companion.

Grim gave a bark of a laugh in response before saying, "'S'true, yo."

"Who'r ya?" Rod demanded, his feet shifting slightly in a more defensive stance.

"This'n be tha' kid, Red?" Grim asked with a raised eyebrow. "Tha' on' th' gave ya th' goggles, yo?"

"'S'would, yo," Reno replied calmly. "Rod meet Grim; Grim, this'i Rod."

"So ya th' punk' tha' Red 'elp'd out, yo," Grim eyed Rod before saying, "Ya'll do great, kid. 'S'no worries th'r. Now when m'Red go's canna 's'pect ta be able ta go ta ya, yo?"

The minute praise and obvious ease in which Reno held around Grim sealed the deal for Rod.

"Sure."

Grim grinned.

* * *

**Known Lands: **_Midgar Slums __**μ εyλ**__** 1996, July 31st**_

The day Reno turned sixteen was a day Reno would always remember. He had gone down to the local brothel with plans to swindle several of the men wishing to get a good lay, and nick some cash from the brothel's stores as well. So far it had gone good, until one of his marks obviously was worth something more.

"'S'was lookin' for a good time," Reno said in a slightly cheery voice, his hair down from what had become its customary ponytail. It now lay down near mid-back in a rather wavy mess thanks to being tied up all the time. His goggles were also missing; they tended to keep people away and ruin the image. Instead the scar upon his forehead was covered with a bit of 'borrowed' make from Elmyra. "Th'nk ya can 'elp?"

Reno chose this man mainly because the obvious amount of wealth he held; a rather expensive gold watch, expensive suit, expensive ring, and designer glasses. The sheer amount of gold the man had on him would definitely bring in some profit from the local pawn shops that could last Grim and him a good two months. All he had to do was get the man to agree, take him over to the nearby shit-hole inn, one usually met with shady whores that couldn't work at the brothel or didn't want to, and knock him unconscious.

The plan was a good one, especially since the man seemed very receptive and it was no time at all until Reno had the man following him over to the inn.

What Reno didn't expect was for a gun to be pulled on him the minute he moved to knock the guy out.

"I'd suggest you not try that, pretty boy," he had growled and Reno stilled.

"Look, ya don' wanna shoot, yo!" Reno said slowly, a slight note of well-hidden panic in his voice. "Sorry for 'temptin' ta take ya gil but a guys gotta eat som'how! I mean if'n ya have four kids ta feed down 'ere in th' slums-"

"Shut up!" the gun went off, bullet sliding past Reno's head and Reno's mouth snapped close quickly. "On your knees."

"Fuck ya!" Reno spat and was rewarded with a bullet in his arm. "Shit!" he winced, jerking slightly.

"Knees, now."

"Bite me, ya ass!"

Another bullet, this time in the shoulder. Reno bit back a cry but the pain forced him to his knees anyway.

"Good little slut, yeah?"

"Fuck," Reno sneered, "ya, ya ass."

"You'll be doing that soon."

"Like shit, yo!"

"Quiet!" the man roared and moved to slap Reno, who in response raised his EMR in defense, the electricity already on. His attacker jerked back with a bare cry and then there was the sound of a gunshot, muffled but Reno still caught it, and the expensively dressed idiot fell, clutching his shoulder tightly.

"Who's there!" he roared.

"Be quiet, scum," the words were soft spoken but immediately took affect. The man stilled, eyes wide. "Gun."

"On it," was said and a blonde haired young woman leaped down from the window in front of the idiot who began shaking. "I see you know who we are. Good. Now, will you come quietly?" In response to the woman's softly worded question the man leaped to his feet to run. A quick, muffled shot and he was down with a broken leg. "I guess that's a no," the woman sighed.

"Gun," was said warningly from the window.

"I got it Tseng," Gun rolled her eyes. "Although you might want to check out the red head; she seems pretty banged up."

"M'not a girl!" Reno snarled indignantly, swaying slightly.

"Whoops," Gun grinned. "You sure look like it." Reno just growled.

"Gun," Tseng reprimanded, jumping down from the window and moving towards Reno calmly.

"Right, right," Gun sighed, moving forward with a needle. A quick jab and the man was out like a light. She then opened her PHS, hit a few numbers, before speaking, "Yeah we have him right here." She was silent for a minute. "Affirmative. Oh, and please have a med-unit standing by. Civilian." There was another minute of silence before she hung up.

"Two shots," Tseng said, tilting his head. "Where did you get that EMR?"

"Wassit matter, yo?" Reno demanded warily, clutching the EMR tightly in his hand, trying to ignore his steadily blurring vision.

"Hm. Just wondering since that seems a bit too expensive for you," was all Tseng said, still examining the bullet wounds. "You've lost a lot of blood; I'm surprised you're still awake." Reno just sniffed angrily.

"'M'not gonna go down with outta fight, yo," he sneered.

"High pain tolerance..." Tseng murmured under his breath.

"Whaddya assessin' me?" Reno demanded, his vision swam furiously and he barely hid a wince.

"No, no," Tseng shook his head with a small, barely hidden twitch of his lips. "Just a bit curious, that's all."

"ETA three minutes, Tseng," Gun said, checking her watch.

"Do you know who I am?" Tseng asked Reno whose eyes narrowed through swimming vision.

"Sh' call'd ya Tseng," he muttered.

"Not my name, kid," Tseng uttered and Reno narrowed his eyes, further, trying to get a clearer picture.

Suddenly it clicked and with a slight slur as his vision went entirely out of focus, black tinting the edges, Reno said, "S'Turks."

He then pitched forward into unconsciousness.

* * *

end chapter.

_**AUTHORS NOTE TIME!**_

_Yo! Right, so this chapter has been finished for...a long while. I've just been a bit off the writing mood and haven't posted. However__**Unexpected**__and__**Used**__are not in the same boat as this story. Their next chapters are__**not**__finished._

_So, I wasn't really going to post this chapter yet, even though I already have chapter__**four**__completed-two chapters up from this-simply because I really haven't been at FFN lately. Too much school work, you know?_

_Anyway, I wasn't going to post this yet but yesterday, after going a full day without internet since it wasn't working, once internet was working I logged into my e-mail to a rather shocking surprise._

_I had__**33**__e-mails-almost all of which were notices on various FFN members setting__**Planet's Eyes**__to either their alerts list, or their favorites._

_I was in shock. This was totally unexpected. I mean sure I've gotten notices of several people alerting my stories but they only end up getting alerted within a few__**days**__of posting/updating a fanfic. Never have I gotten a random burst of notices for people alerting__**weeks**__after I posted._

_I__**really**__want to know how you guys found this fic. If it was through a__**Community**__, or__**Author's Favorites**__, or recommendation, or even just searching/browsing,__**I want to know**__. Because I was in shock._

_With the shock aside I still wasn't really thinking of posting this just yet, however I got to thinking after mom mentioned a wind storm was coming and we might lose power (damn it! first a freak__**snow storm**__where we get 7.5 inches of snow which hasn't happened since I was__**6**__-that's__**13 years ago**__-and now we're getting a freak__**wind storm**__on top of it? the snow storm was just yesterday! we still have the snow! c'mon, give us a break!)_

_So yeah, I figured on posting. Just because I wanted to give you all something if I__**do**__lose power for a few days. However don't expect an update the following week for chapter three, it might not happen. I'm still really busy._

_With that out of the way let's get on to the main bit of this__**Authors Notes**__._

_First:__**Dedications**__._

_I dedicated this chapter to the following reviewers for the following reasons:_

_**hittocerebattosai**__: I dedicated this to you because you were the first to say you'd like to see__**RenoRufusCloud**__-that, and you're PM to my response was extremely amusing.  
__**Lady Cinnibar**__: I dedicated this to you because well...you had__**the**__funniest review I had ever gotten. Really. I still laugh when I look at it. Hope you got your brain fixed!  
__**Rekki^_^**__: I dedicated this to you-an anonymous reviewer-because you pointed out Reno's goggles. I'll admit I forgot about them and ended up editing this chapter to include them. -.-;_

_With that aside I shall thank my__**14 reviewers:**__lildevil425, Cruel Reality, Favrite of Chaos, TheOneThatIsAddictedToHPfics -__**that is a**__wicked__**nam**__e - hittocerebattosai, Lady Cinnibar, Tenshi Youkai no Yugure - what__**does**__Yugure__**mean? I know**__tenshi__**is**__angel__**and**__youkai__**is**__monster__**but I've never seen**__Yugure - Rekki^_^, Raika Katsuya, Azreal Riddle, kirallie -__**your name seems familiar, have you reviewed any of my**__old__**fics?**__- black-hurt17, shadowcatxme,__**and**__Vincent Severus Mycroft -__**I**__really__**love your name! It's**__awesome__**!**__-_

_Final note:__**Reno and Grim's Accents (as well as others throughout the chapter)**_

_I really don't give a fly what you think about them-I like them, and I'm keeping them. Besides, I don't care if it's unrealistic for them to change their speech so quickly, or for the accents to sound unrealistic themselves, it's just the way I hear Reno speaking in my head when he was a kid._

_If you want to know__**how**__Reno goes back from the horrible accent...well, you'll have to see, now, won't you?_

_That's all!_

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	3. Turk

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

* * *

_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_For this chapter __**not much was changed at all**__. A few __**consistency errors **__were fixed and nothing was truly changed. No suggested reread unless you truly wish to._

* * *

_This chapter is dedicated to__**lildevil425**__and__**Ithilas**__(or is it lthilas?)_

_**Planet's Eyes  
Turk**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996, July 31st**_

Reno groaned slightly as he was pulled back into consciousness. Green eyes slowly blinked open, taking in where he was with slight surprise.

_'A hospital?'_ he thought, confused. _'Pads'n I don' hav'nuff for'a hospital...'_

"Oh! You're awake!"

Reno's eyes darted to the sight of a nurse who quickly bowed and said, "I'll be right back!" before darting out of the room.

"Tha's intres'in, yo," Reno mumbled, pulling himself up slowly. The nurse returned with a Turk who glanced at Reno before whispering something to the nurse who nodded and left, wide-eyed.

"How do you feel?" the Turk asked and Reno blinked.

"Wha'sa Turk doin' 'ere, yo?" Reno frowned.

"You don't remember what happened?" dark eyes narrowed slightly.

"Er..." Reno stumbled before it hit him. "Oh. S'Tseng, righ'?"

"Yes," Tseng replied with a tight-lipped smile. "So you do remember then." Reno shrugged. "What is your name, kid?"

"'S'no'a kid," Reno scowled. "Name 's'Reno, yo."

"Reno," Tseng nodded. "How old are you?"

"Wassit matter, yo?"

"Please just answer the question and things will go much more smoothly, Reno," Tseng said calmly.

"Sis'teen," Reno mumbled.

"Do you have any family?"

"No, 's'all dead, yo."

"I see."

"Wha'dya wan' wit' me?" Reno demanded.

"It's not what I want," Tseng replied. "However my boss is interested. He'll be here soon, so I suggest you treat him with respect."

"I give' 'spect where 'spects'due, yo," Reno drawled slightly before asking. "Dya hap'n ta have a tie?"

"A what?" Tseng blinked and Reno rolled his eyes and motioned towards his hair in annoyance.

"Tie, yo" he said. "'S'ta pull m'air up."

"Oh." Tseng calmly handed over a rubber band. Reno took the band with a shrug and immediately tied his hair off at the nape of his neck.

"'S'better," he mumbled. "T'nks, yo."

"No problem," Tseng murmured seconds before the door to the room opened again.

"Tseng," this new man, looking a bit worn around the edges, nodded.

"Sir," Tseng bowed his head slightly in respect.

"Who is our guest?"

"This is Reno," Tseng motioned towards Reno. "He's sixteen."

"Hm..."

"Who'r ya?" Reno demanded and Tseng's eyes widened slightly but the man next to him just chuckled.

"I am the commander of the Turks, Verdot," Verdot told him plainly. "Was I correct in hearing that you took two bullets?"

"Yeah, so?" Reno asked, eyes narrowing.

"Did the pain bother you much?" Verdot questioned.

"Lik'a li'l fuckin' pain gonna stop me, yo," Reno growled.

"He was awake up until about a minute before the clean up crew arrived, yes?" Verdot turned to Tseng.

"Yes sir," the younger, asian looking man replied. "He also had lost a lot of blood."

"Interesting...family?"

"He says he has none, sir," Tseng said dutifully.

"Anyone who would miss him?"

"Sir?"

"Is there anyone who will miss him?" Verdot demanded calmly.

"I don't know sir. You'd have to ask him," Tseng said, bowing his head slightly.

"Very well." Verdot turned towards Reno who had been watching the byplay with calculating eyes. "Is there anyone who will miss you, Reno?"

Green orbs immediately pinned Verdot coldly as Reno's mind quickly thought up an answer.

Finally, in a crisp tone, Reno uttered, "No," and Verdot let a cold smile cross his lips.

"Good. Welcome to the Turks, Reno," and with those parting words Verdot and Tseng left. Tseng pausing to add, "Gun will be by to release you in a few minutes; you should remember her," before following after his boss.

Sitting on the bed Reno's green eyes flickered through a few emotions before he let out a small, bark-like laugh that he picked up from Grim.

_'Pads did say I'd leave 'im one day,'_ the red head thought, his laugh now a chuckle. _'I guess now's a time as good as any, yo._'

* * *

Within his and Reno's small home Grim's gray-blue eyes snapped open and a slight smile twitched at his lips.

"An' s'it beg'ns," he murmured. "G'luck, Red."

* * *

"Hello again!" was the greeting Reno got by the blonde haired girl who was with Tseng earlier.

"S'Gun, righ'?" Reno asked, eying her almost warily.

"Yup! You're Reno the Recruit if what Tseng said is correct," Gun stated cheerfully.

"So 'e was assessin' me, yo," Reno drawled with a slight smirk.

"Yeah well," Gun shrugged. "We've had our eye on you for a while...but anyway, it was pure chance you were there with our target."

"So what'chya sayin' s'ya been stalk'n m'too?" Reno asked.

"Uh huh. Rude, Nunchaku, and Shuriken all were impressed with you, which got Tseng's attention, which got Verdot's attention," Gun stated, eyes drifting towards the wall in thought before shooting back towards Reno. "So you were practically a shoe in! Now, I believe we were going to leave? You've been checked out-the only things left are a few standard tests for all Shinra employees, and then the standard tests for the Turk recruits. Can you stand?"

Reno raised an eyebrow slightly but calmly slid out of the bed-it was comfortable, something he rarely got since Grim had a 'no magic' policy once they got here-and onto the cold hospital floor. The red head's face pulled into disgust as he glanced down at the hospital gown.

"Ah don't worry," Gun waved her hand. "I've got you the standard uniform right here." She pulled out a similar, darkly colored suit that she wore herself.

"Ya kiddin', righ'?"

"Nope!" was the cheery answer.

"Canna leas' keep m'goggles?"

"Sure; everyone's entitled to some original addition-although it can't modify the uniform but say if you had a certain pair of earrings or a hair clip it's okay. So I'm sure the goggles will fly. Now here!" Gun shoved the suit into Reno's hands. "Strip, dress, and we'll be right out of here!"

"M'EMR?"

"Being held back at the office."

"I wan'i back, yo."

"You'll get it, girly-boy. Now strip!"

"Crazy bitch..."

* * *

"Grim?" Aerith knocked gently against the wall of the alcove Reno and Grim lived in, worrying her lip. "Are you there?"

"Flo'er girl?" came the raspy reply and slowly Grim shuffled out of the darkened entrance. Blue-gray eyes looked at her in concern. "Wass'up?"

"Where's Reno?" Aerith asked softly, eyes glancing around at the shadows. "He's never really out at this time of day...and I haven't seen him lately."

"Ah..." Grim rubbed the back of his neck with a groan. "Red's gone now," he finally settled on saying. "I' 's'was only a mat'r of time, yo. 'E 'as a job ta do 'nie'ways."

Aerith frowned slightly, green eyes staring at the older man in concern.

"What are you saying?" she asked. "Where is Reno?"

"'E's safe," Grim said, eyes hardening and his voice serious. "I s'gest no' try'n ta look for 'im, yo. Le'i be; ya'll see 'im 'gain soon, m'sure. Red jus' can' keep'way, yo."

Aerith bit her lip again but nodded.

"S'nie oth'r reason ya came 'ere?"

Aerith lowered her head slightly before raising it almost nervously as she said, "I...want some more lessons."

"Why? Ya don' b'lieve'm yo," Grim almost-scoffed.

Green eyes hardened in determination and Aerith raised her head proudly before uttering in a serious manner, "I didn't understand; it was not something I wanted to accept...but I know I can't run from it forever. I believe...always did...I just didn't want to."

At those words Grim's lips twitched and beckoned her further into the alcove.

"We'com t'n, Aerith Gainsborough, Cetra," Grim stated.

Aerith's eyes widened as she felt a happy, pleased feeling flow through her before the surprise was washed away with a smile.

"Thank you, Grim..." she uttered, trailing off before adding with a mischievous smile, "Cetra A-"

"Oi! Tha's too far, yo!" Grim interrupted with a shout. Aerith just laughed.

* * *

"Right; so standard tests for all employee's are simple," Gun stated as she led Reno out of the hospital and to a dark, sleek car. They got in the back seats, Gun quickly giving the driver a brief order before turning back to Reno. "For starters we take a full medical exam-that shouldn't take too long, and the information will be within your Turk file and hidden away from prying eyes. There also will be a few blood tests to run, and if you accept a mako sensitivity test.

Finally we have the background check, and you fill out a few papers that tell us of any terminal illnesses that run within the family, or of any allergies, etc." Gun paused to take a deep breath. "After the standard tests we go to the standard Turk recruit tests. These are used to determine where in the academy a recruit will sit-although you, like a few others before you, will be the exception to this. You won't be going to the academy, and these tests are merely a test of your skills, understand me so far?"

"Yeah," Reno drawled. "S'buncha stuff fer legal 'sues an' shit."

"That's one way of putting it," Gun rolled her eyes. "So the Turk recruit tests will mostly be centered around practical skills used on missions and interrogations; stealth, subterfuge, marksmanship, assassination, torture...you get the drill." Reno gave her a narrow eyed nod.

"Right then; let's get this over with, shall we?" Gun said as the car came to a stop. She opened the door and stepped out, with Reno following after her. "This way!" she called, turned, and walked towards the large, imposing structure.

Reno followed without any hesitation, a sly smirk on his lips.

_'This otta be fun, yo.'_

* * *

end chapter.

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_Yo! Sorry for not getting this up any sooner. We had super snow apparently, and then christmas, and then I got reaaaaaaaaly sick with a bad stomach bug-still am a bit sick actually._

_Anyway I want to than all of the positive reviews I've gotten! It gives me fuzzy wuzzies! Err...ignore that._

_So, as many of you may have noticed I had a comment up at top about this chapter being dedicated to__**lildevil425**__and__**Ithilas**__. There are reasons for this, and I shall state them now._

_**lildevil425**__gets the dedication because flattery will get you everywhere. In other words I got called a goddess! OMG! That and the lovely sympathetic comment about the storms I had oh-so-lovingly had to face. No, it was not fun. We had snow, then wind, and more snow._

_The snow next to the driveway was up to my knees thanks to that horrid combination and the snow being knocked off the car._

_**Ithilas**__gets the dedication because I like the sense of humor. That review button is oh-so-hard to click, isn't it? That and I liked the comment about "sweet little Harry as foul-mouthed, don't-give-a-shit Reno" and the "drowning in all of the lint" comment._

_Dude, you have an awesome sense of humor._

_And yes, Reno shall be a pyro. I can't imagine him any other way-I mean he likes to blow stuff up, right? Pyro._

_So, that is why these two lovely reviewers got the oh-so-nice dedication._

_Now I would like to thank my other lovely reviewers by name and then just wrap this up, kay?_

_So, thank you to__**Rythym**__,__**Favrite of Chaos**__, lildevil425,__**Darshu**__,__**Painted-Purple**__,__**Cruel Reality**__,__**Tenshi Youkai no Yugure**__(thanks for telling me what Yugure means!), Ithilas,__**Azreal Riddle**__,__**Lady Cinnibar**__,__**SunStar Kitsune**__,__**hittocerebattosai**__,__**Rekki^_^**__,__**Firehedgehog**__,__**daughterofpenthesilia**__,__**Red Jeanie**__,__**kirallie**__, and__**Raika Katsuya.**_

_To those who didn't review...I hope you do this time._

_Ciao! (err, was that spelt right?)_

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	4. Trust

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

* * *

_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_Once more the majority of this chapter is as it always was. I edited and changed a few __**minor**__ things that mostly, once more, had to do with consistency. That's all._

* * *

_This chapter is dedicated to__**Cruel Reality**__and__**Rune-Ruin**__for reasons stated in the AN._

_**Planet's Eyes  
Trust**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996, July 31st**_

"Name: Gun. ID: _four-zero-six-four-eight-one-four_," Gun snapped out quickly two the two Turk employee's that guarded the testing grounds for the academy. "Mission: Testing Recruit Reno, ID _three-seven-nine-three-one-seven-eight_."

From slightly behind her Reno arched an eyebrow; seemed they had been watching him longer than Gun implied if he was already so efficiently in the system. At Reno's name the petite blond who previously was checking the computer looked up as if to confirm what Gun had just said.

"So he really was present at the last mission?" the blond asked, surprised.

"Yes Nunchaku, now can we move?" Gun sighed.

"Sorry," Nunchaku mumbled before giving a short nod. "It checks out-Rude, let them through."

The other Turk, taller, dark skinned, with sunglasses typed something onto a keypad before nodding to Gun and Reno.

* * *

Reno could tell that the blonde woman was both surprised and confused at the various tests he was told to do. Conflicted Gun had handed him off to Rude with orders to show him to the temporary room he would be staying in. Reno had asked once about his EMR before Gun had left. She had responded with a quick, "you'll get it tomorrow," before leaving.

Truthfully Reno wasn't all that concerned. He knew they'd find out about his inability to use a computer-or anything remotely electronic it seemed; Reno vowed to try and contain his magic tighter, shorting electronics he touched just wouldn't do-anyway he'd figured they discover his lacking knowledge odd. The fact that Reno could pilot a helicopter and _not_ have it short out on him like all the other equipment (including the PHS to his annoyance) he was bound to have piqued their curiosity.

It didn't really ever dawn on him that he knew how to fly the Helicopter with no previous experience.

Either way Reno wasn't looking forward to the questions that he would be asked come morning-even more so by the fact that he didn't know _why_ out of all the electronic equipment in that room the helicopter had remained in the condition it was when he started. Then there was the subject of his ability to use the EMR-which was electronic in basic principal-he didn't want to broach that subject at all.

There _was_ a reason why he wanted it back though; after all his 'modifications' might raise a few eyebrows if they looked at the EMR closely, or even tried to use it.

So Reno had little reason to feel worried or fretting; Grim had told him once 'what would come would come' on their trip here anyway. That and he claimed that if things came down to it, he'd make sure no one remembered anything about the oddities surrounding him.

And he knew Grim would keep up on that promise.

* * *

"Gun?" Tseng blinked, raising his head as Gun knocked on the door. "Where's the kid?"

"I had Rude take him to his temporary room," Gun said, moving the door shut behind her. She stepped further into the office and sat down, closing her eyes slightly.

After a few minutes of silence Tseng asked concernedly, "Is something wrong?"

"There is something odd about that kid," Gun sighed after a second.

"Odd? How?"

Blue eyes connected with black as she said, "Everything electronic he touched shorted out-everything _except_ the helicopter." After a minute she added, "He didn't even look that surprised, just a tad annoyed."

Tseng sat down, a frown on his lips, before stating, "Verdot needs to know."

Gun nodded in agreement.

* * *

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996, August**_

It was another two days before Reno found himself being brought to another doctor. At first he wasn't told anything of this random check up, which he took in stride already figuring what was going on. Afterward he was told it was a deeper scan; apparently the other examinations weren't as detailed as this new one, since the doctor picked up on the faint energy of magic that resonated around everything and everyone. Normally it didn't register on mundane's, but it was there; just so small that no known device could pick it up.

Reno however was surprised that the doctor could pick up the faint traces of magic. He was asked, of course, if he knew about the energy traces around his person and in response he shrugged and said, "Mako do's we'rd shit ta a pers'n; s'plenty o'i down in th' slums. Was boun' ta 'ffect m'som'ow, yo."

Still a bit wary Tseng let the subject drop; the fact that Verdot seemed to accept the explanation helped.

"Anyway to make it so he _doesn't_ short anything?" Verdot asked the doctor. "And why did the helicopter not end up becoming fried?"

The doctor shrugged slightly and said, "I have no clue."

"I love th' sky," Reno stated, bringing the attention back to him. "A'ways wan'd ta fly in'i; an' I coul' med'tate-s'worked before, yo" the red headed added under his breath.

"So this has happened before?" Verdot asked.

Reno shrugged slightly and muttered, "No' m'ch tech i'th' slums, yo."

"But it has?"

Green eyes sharpened on Verdot and Reno said crisply, "Yes."

Verdot nodded and accepted the answer before saying, "I see nothing wrong then. If meditation helps keep this...energy field around him from interfering then there should be no problem." Reno's posture relaxed slightly before Verdot continued, "However Reno will not be on active field duty until he can successfully handle technology. In fact..." Verdot looked at Tseng, "Tseng shall be his tutor. Your...ancestry gives you better access to a situation like this, anyway, yes?"

Begrudgingly Tseng nodded.

"Huh?"

"I'm Wutaian," Tseng stated, dark eyes daring Reno to say something against his background.

"Oh..." Reno accepted the answer easily. "S'cool," Reno added after Tseng's wary look. "Kinda fig'r'd tha' one aft'r meetin' ya, yo."

With that easy statement Reno just earned Tseng's approval, although he was curious on how Reno could tell.

* * *

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996**_

Whenever he could get away from Tseng's "slave driv'n' les'ns" as he put it the red head made his way back below the Plate and into the slums. He knew that Tseng, Gun, or one of the other Turks always followed him, but he let it be-they wouldn't find out about Grim anyway, since he visited him when the man was in dog form.

It was during one of those visits that Reno ran into Aerith who promptly slapped him across the cheek seconds later.

"Flower girl?" Reno asked hesitantly, his accent having lessened with Tseng's forceful lessons of 'proper speech' in which if he didn't attempt to speak in a 'normal, civilized way' he got hit with a Bolt3, and those _hurt_.

"You jerk!" Aerith snapped and Reno took a step back. "I go to see Padfoot one day and you're not there, caring for him! No one had seen you in the market, not even the gangs had spotted you! Where the hell have you been?"

"Er..." Reno faltered, shocked. Then all her words registered and he shouted, "What the 'ell where you doin' 'round th' gangs, yo?"

"Reno..." Aerith growled in a rather good impression of Padfoot, "don't change the subject."

Reno laughed nervously. "Pads?" he finally turned towards the dog, glancing between the two, practically _begging_ for some help. 'Pads' barked in somewhat amusement, something both Reno _and_ his current Turk shadow could tell. "T'nks, mutt," Reno muttered under his breath before looking at Aerith. "Ya know I'd tell ya if it were bad, righ', flower girl?"

"Considering you don't speak in street rat slang anymore I have reason to be concerned," Aerith stated, crossing her arms. Reno twitched.

"Well ya a'ways got'n 'bout m'lang'age, yo!" Reno scowled.

"What I want to know is _who_ got you to speak civilized," Aerith stated. "And how."

"Um..."

The shadows appeared to shift slightly unbeknownst to Aerith who was glaring at Reno, and Reno who was nervously trying to think of an answer.

"Aerith," Tseng called out as he emerged from the shadows and Reno twisted sharply towards his superior's direction.

"Tseng," Aerith blinked, surprised.

"So it's ya this time," Reno muttered causing Tseng's eyebrow to raise slightly.

"I didn't know you two knew each other," Tseng finally said, glancing between Aerith and Reno.

"Reno helped with the flowers on occasion," Aerith mumbled, frowning, and then she rounded on Reno. "Did you get into some sort of trouble!"

"No, no!" Reno hastily shook his hands, backing up. "S'not bad! Really! Don't 'urt me yo!"

"It's not bad?" Aerith cried. "So you are in trouble!"

"Aerith," Tseng's call pulled Aerith back towards him. "Reno is not in any trouble...besides not mentioning that there _was_ someone down here that he knew well..."

"I don' know flower girl well," Reno scowled. "We jus' ran inta each oth'r a lot, yo. 'Specially 'cause o'Pads." The dog barked and Reno rolled his eyes. "Met 'er 'cause o' ya, and ya know'i, yo!"

"Reno, stop antagonizing Padfoot; Padfoot stop pushing Reno," Aerith snapped at the two who both turned away at the same time; strange as it was seeing a dog emulate humor behavior. "Tseng, why are you here?"

"Considering Reno skives out on his lessons...let's just say we were curious as to why he kept coming down to the slums," Tseng stared at the red head.

Reno shrugged and said, "Flower girl can't take care o' Pads all th' time, yo. I usually fed 'im 'nie'way." Tseng raised an eyebrow and Reno stated with a roll of his eyes, "Sentimental value-I grew up here; I don't want to just entirely leave it behind, yo."

"Lessons?" Aerith asked Tseng, deciding to not correct Reno on his growing up here like she used to. Besides, she figured if Reno didn't tell the Turks then there was a good reason.

"Dot's th' one who...got me speakin' normally, yo," Reno muttered. "On pain of a Bolt3," he added with a twitch of his eye.

"Dot?" Aerith asked with a bit of mirth, looking at Tseng. He was standing oddly stiffer than usual.

"He's also my tech tutor, yo."

"I pity you right now, Tseng," Aerith said seriously. "Burdened with Reno...no man should have to deal with it."

"Oi!"

"It's true!" Aerith sang, a smile on her lips. Reno just scowled and Tseng almost sighed, rolling his eyes heavenward.

He coughed slightly a second later before saying, "At any rate we need to head back up, Reno. You're lessons were supposed to start an hour ago." Reno shrugged. "Oh, and I will be bringing this..." Tseng motioned towards Aerith, the dog, and the slums around him, "...to Verdot's attention."

Reno just stared at him and said, "Whatever, dot-head."

Tseng scowled, "For that I'm putting you on paperwork-and there had better be good penmanship or you'll do it all over again."

"Fuck!"

"Now move."

Aerith's laughter rang in his ears as Reno and Tseng left. Once they were gone she turned to the dog and said, "You should have told me he was a Turk now."

The dog quickly changed shape into Grim and replied lazily, "Ya wu'ld'a wor'ed 'bout 'im gettin' kil'd, yo."

"But at least I know he's in good hands," Aerith stated. "Tseng won't let him die-in fact once you get his approval you'll find it hard for him not to mother-hen you..."

With that statement Grim let out a bark of laughter and Aerith's giggles soon followed.

_'His approval means he trusts you, Reno,'_ Aerith thought, gaze going skyward. _'And I can see that you trust him, even if you haven't known him long. You wouldn't have let him follow you to Padfoot anyways, would you, Reno?'_

A small smile came to her lips as she practically heard the red headed teen singing in her mind:

_O'cours' no', yo. Whaddya tak' m'for, an'diot?_

* * *

end chapter.

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_Hi all! So sorry for the long wait for this chapter to be posted. Things are a tad hectic right now-as in I have exactly 2 weeks to get everything done for school if I want a decent grade. I really need to update my profile too, don't I...ahem! Tossing all this aside..._

_A quite note on the dedications:__**Cruel Reality**__gets the dedication for this chapter because...well, I like the idea about Zack. Most definitely shall it be here. :P I love the guy too much for it not to be._

_**Rune-Ruin**__gets the dedication for this chapter because...to be honest I was deeply honored by the review, completely shocked, and feeling very dazed for several days afterwards. I never thought I could possibly have affected someone so much through my writing. Thank you; I am deeply honored, be sure of that._

_Onto more trivial (okay, not trivial; basic run-through about possible unexplained plot-holes/inconsistencies with this chapter that I shall have to explain more in-depth below) things._

_I know it seems like Verdot excepts Reno's strange reaction to electronic things too easily but I fricken don't care there. I also know the electornics issue might not exactly figure up with Reno being driven in a car (electronic) or being taken care of in the hospital (sorta kinda electronic) so I've decided to sorta kinda figure things in here for you if you really want me to explain the inconsistencies._

_Reno, aka Harry if any of you have forgotten, has magic and while wizards can live and use electronics, testament to Harry having lived in the muggle world and every other muggle born in existence as well, Reno is more of an oddity now._

_In the first chapter I do believe I touched upon, briefly and not in-depth, about Reno's oh-so-lovely powers that ended up leveling some bit of Costa Del Sol. I won't go into details about Reno's powers even now, they'll be explained later, however I will touch that__**because**__of Reno's powers it makes it a little more tough to deal with electronics. You could say that incident in Costa Del Sol was the beginning-the catalyst that helped his abilities break free._

_Which was why he went through several meditation excersizes (stated not shown) during the trip and while in Midgar._

_However that still raises concerns on why__**now**__he can't seem to touch anything (bar the helicopter) without shorting it (and yet he was able to ride in the car without screwing it up too) so for this my explanation's simple._

_Larger things-like cars and helicopters-that don't rely entirely on electronics don't get shorted. Of course Reno and the others don't know this tid-bit. Furthermore Reno didn't have to have such a tight control on his powers in the slums-he had to have tight control yes, in order to not have another incident, however not as tight as he needs to now because he didn't really__**use**__any electronic devices in the slums._

_Now however he's surrounded by the stuff so he has to tighten his control much more._

_Also, you might've noticed the mentioning of "modifications" to the EMR that would raise eyebrows, including the if tried to use it comment. In the chapter that introduced the EMR Reno was able to use it right away-unlike anything above the plate. The reason is, is that he kept a tight leash on his powers when he first used the EMR to show Grim what it could do. Unseen however Reno later made some "modifications" to the EMR so that it could work if he didn't have such a tight control at the time._

_Yes other's can use the EMR too, even with its modifications, however it holds a different "feel" when a person without any magical ability tries to use it versus Reno. Furthermore Reno tinkered with how it was built which also falls under the "modifications" What he did exactly shall be kept quiet for now._

_OH! Before I forget: the ID numbers for the Turks are actually the story ID numbers (here on FFN) for a few of my favorite stories. I don't remember which ones I used though._

_Right, general clear-up now done...I shall address the anonymous reviewers now._

_**Rekki^_^**__yes, it shall be fun._

_Now I would like to thank all of the reviewers for this chapter:__**SunStar Kitsune**__,__**webpixie**__, Cruel Reality, Rune-Ruin,__**lildevil425**__,__**Firehedgehog**_, _Rekki^_^,__**autumn-annette-19**__, and__**Retse**_

_Thank you all._

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	5. Interest

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

* * *

_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_Nothing major was changed. Mostly grammatical mistakes. Seriously. This was a crack chapter -_-;;_

* * *

_This chapter is dedicated to__**Dark Reborn**__,__**Rekki^_^**__, and__**SunStar Kitsune**__. For reasons see A/N_

_**Planet's Eyes  
Interest**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996**_

Tseng was both relieved and distressed when Reno was cleared for active duty. He was relieved that he no longer had to deal with the hyperactive, trigger-happy, pyromaniac red head. He was distressed that said hyperactive, trigger-happy, pyromaniac red head would now be unleashed upon the world. Tseng dreaded the chaos Reno would undoubtedly bring.

With thoughts of Midgar burning to the ground because of Reno Tseng was all too happy to take on the task of giving the red head his first job.

"So what 'm I s'posed ta do, yo?" Reno drawled, leaning against the wall, hands in his pants pocket, shirt untucked, and green eyes lazily drifting over the office. To Tseng's annoyance the red head still held onto some of the slum-slang-accent he had spoken, but it was his hope that Reno would lose it eventually.

"Your assignment," Tseng stated, picking up a folder, "is to guard Vice President Rufus Shinra-mostly his office area on the fifth floor when he's present."

"M'kay," Reno nodded. "Anythin' I shoul' know?"

Tseng calmly handed over the folder as he said, "This is a compiled schedule of the Vice President's meetings and appointments over the next two weeks. You are to shadow him at any of the appointments also. This assignment is pending three months, recruit."

"Got it, yo," Reno hummed, flipping through the folder's contents with nimble fingers.

"You can go," Tseng stated and Reno pushed away from the wall. "Oh, and Reno?" the red head turned his head and raised an eyebrow at Tseng inquiringly. "Good luck," Tseng said after a second.

"...why?"

"Trust me, you'll need it."

"Heh, whate'er, yo," Reno mumbled and left with a backwards wave.

Gun, who had watched the entire scene from the corner desk she occupied said to Tseng with a slight smirk, "You are going to regret this, you know."

In response Tseng asked offhandedly, "How has Elena been? I heard she was fairing well in the academy, but that there was a bit of a discord between you two. Nothing too bad, I hope?"

Gun's eyes narrowed and her smirk turned cold as she said, "You had better sleep with both eyes open 'dot-head' because I'm pretty sure you'll be facing quite a few pissed off employee's soon...possibly even Verdot."

Tseng grit his teeth at the nickname Reno had given him-and refused to let go much of to the dark haired man's annoyance-as he turned around and moved back towards his desk, settling on just ignoring Gun for the time being.

* * *

Reno had never heard of the horror stories surrounding the Vice President's Turk guards, or the horrible situations that befell most of them which ended in the blond executive being watched by four main people: Shuriken, Gun, Nunchaku, and Rude. Occasionally a recruit would get stuck with the job but usually that was avoided for the simple fact that the recruit would end up with therapy.

It was a good way to weed out the weaklings for sure, but it lost them a lot of members so Verdot had limited such assignments to the previously mentioned four. Reno, however, knew none of this. He hadn't heard the rumors of what befell the Turk guards, nor the horror stories about Rufus Shinra.

Considering that Reno himself was also a wild-card—combining it with the red head's current lack of knowledge about Rufus Shinra's quite obvious and purposeful attempts to get rid of his shadows—Tseng should have predicted the coming chaos.

Unfortunately he didn't.

* * *

Reno hesitantly knocked at the open door, not really understanding why he was so nervous.

"Yes?" Rufus asked, not once raising his head from the paperwork.

"Uh, sir? Name's Reno; 'm gonna be your...guard for th' next three months, yo," Reno said from the doorway almost hesitantly.

At those words Rufus raised his head and asked, "A new recruit?"

"Ya 'm new."

"Who assigned you?"

"Tseng."

"Ah..." Rufus nodded his head slowly before waving his hand, "just be outside the room. If I have a...problem...you'll know."

"Whate'er, yo," Reno mumbled, backing out.

"Did Tseng wish you good luck?" Rufus asked before the door shut.

"If'n 'e did?"

"Then you'll obviously need it."

Reno's green eyes narrowed as he shut the door with a muttered, "We'll see, brat."

Rufus frowned before smirking coldly, "He is so going down," the teen uttered, blue eyes glinting evilly in dull lighting of the office.

* * *

Being the son of a dark haired prankster and a sadistically brilliant red headed woman coupled with being raised for almost four years now by one of the last Marauder's Reno knew when something was wrong and when he was being targeted for someone's amusement. It had also honed his skills on finding, disabling, and resetting traps within mere minutes.

Thus when Reno stepped onto the fifth floor he got one of those feelings of being the target of someone's amusement—probably not for wholly innocent intentions—the teenager proceeded through the floor with caution. Once he reached the area just outside of Rufus Shinra's office Reno spotted the trap and a cold smirk spread across his lips.

"Tha's no' gonna work on me, yo," he sneered under his breath and with nimble finger's disabled the trap. He then gathered up the pieces—a can of white paint that appeared to have been mixed with glue, a contain, seal, and mystify materia all set to activate freeze, sleepel, and confu via a thin tripwire, a bucket of yellow feathers and finally a sign that read "I'm an idiot Turk who got caught in a simple trap by a civilian"—and proceeded to move them inside the office. He quickly reset the entire thing, planted "evidence" that he had gotten caught within said trap and was hiding in one of the bathrooms, and then hid to watch the ensuing chaos with a wicked grin.

He wasn't the son of a marauder and his sadistically and down right evilly brilliant wife for nothing.

Fifteen minutes later the blond executive stepped onto the floor, spotting the "evidence" which brought a cold smirk to his lips and a muttered, "Idiot," before opening his door and stepping into his office.

Mere seconds after the door shut there was a crash, and then a loud scream.

Reno calmly pushed open the door with a smirk, eying the teenager's new appearance up and down appreciatively before pulling out a heal materia and casting esuna. Once Rufus regained consciousness and stood up did Reno make his presence known.

"You sure know a good idea for a prank, brat," Reno drawled. "Although why ya target'd yours'lf is b'yon' me, yo."

"I will get you for this," Rufus snarled, although it looked entirely too comical as his entire being was covered in the white paint that looked more gray-ish yellow now from the feathers (his suit underneath was ruined) and the sign that read "I'm an idiot Turk who got caught in a simple trap by a civilian" stamped on the side of his head.

"Oh?" Reno blinked innocently. "Was tha' for lil' ol' me?"

Rufus growled, blue eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Best you get clean'd up, princess," Reno stated. "You gotta app'ntment in an hour, yo."

"This," the slightly smaller teen uttered coldly, "means war."

"Whate'er you say, yo."

With his smirk practically permanently stuck Reno walked out of the room, Rufus darting out seconds later to get cleaned, shooting an angry glare at Reno as he disappeared around the corner.

Reno's smirk widened when he heard a young woman shriek and then ask, "Mr. Shinra what happened?"

"Shut up you stupid pink haired slut!" Reno heard Rufus snap.

_'Looks like this is gonna be a fun three months, yo,'_ Reno thought, inwardly cackling. _'War indeed; brat doesn't know who he's dealing with.'_

Thus the 'Three Months of Terror on the Fifth Floor' began.

* * *

Verdot felt a headache slowly creeping up on him as he read through the report requesting Turk-influence on finding more stable and hard-working staff members for the fifth floor, as well as a funding notice that said the twenty or so employee's currently in therapy were going to have their bills be paid from the money specifically derived for the Turks as well as a note that costs may be cut permanently if this fiasco continues.

The current leader of the Turks was seriously beginning to question his sanity. Things like the current terrorizing of the fifth floor that kept leading towards the hospitalization of its staff were not supposed to happen. At least if he knew who to _blame_ for this entire mess _then_ would things be looking up but unfortunately he didn't!

That is, until Gun stopped by and calmly handed over a folder saying, "Status from Reno's current assignment, sir."

"Which is?" Verdot asked wearily.

Gun's gaze was completely professional and her face held no emotion as she stated, "Rufus-sitting, sir."

"I see. Who assigned this?"

Now Gun's lips twitched as she replied compliantly, "Tseng, sir."

"Thank you Gun," Verdot nodded. "Can I ask you a favor as a friend?" he questioned after a second as Gun made to leave.

"Sure," Gun shrugged.

Verdot tossed her his wallet and said, "Go out and buy me three tins of itching powder; neon-blue hair-dye, and a can of purple spray-paint."

"Do I want to know what they are for?" Gun asked.

Verdot gave her a shark-like grin as he replied, "For you're revenge."

Gun bowed and replied, "Thank you, sir."

"Now get out of here!" Verdot shooed her away as he turned towards the paperwork on his desk, a dark smile slowly crossing his face as he began to sort through everything that was needed for the fifth floor.

Tseng would regret the day he sent Reno to watch Rufus Shinra.

* * *

Two days after Verdot had sent Gun off to get supplies for her revenge against Tseng, two days before Reno's first assignment was finished, Verdot calmly entered the side-office that served as a lounge for the Turks. He scanned the room coolly before his gaze landed on a currently neon-blue haired, purple-suited, and red-skinned Tseng. Masking his amusement Verdot calmly walked over to the sulking Turk hidden away in a corner.

"What happened?" Verdot questioned, his voice unwavering and not belaying his amusement at the entire situation.

"An accident, sir," Tseng replied, face reddening further. "Allergic reaction to some soap and mistake at the dry-cleaner," he elaborated after a second.

"And the hair?" Verdot raised an eyebrow.

Tseng grimaced as he said, "I felt like something different." It was obvious he didn't.

Verdot drawled calmly, "I didn't figure you for neon-blue."

Tseng shrugged.

"Well, I have an assignment for you," Verdot continued, calmly handing over the manila folder. "We need twenty-five regular staff, three cleaning staff, and fourteen security guards replaced on the fifth floor. Also I would like it if you would keep track of the budget going over to the medical bills for the current staff from the fifth floor that are in therapy. This needs to be done by tomorrow, understood?"

Tseng swallowed, face resembling and odd shade of pale pink-ish red now as he replied, "Yes sir."

"Good," Verdot nodded calmly. "Might I suggest," he added, speaking slower, "that you keep your guard up from now on?" Tseng gave a crisp nod and Verdot responded with a cold smile before turning to leave the room. He only paused once he spotted Gun and said clearly, "Nice touch on the suit."

"Thank you sir," Gun replied, her grin absolutely vicious.

Verdot left without another word leaving Tseng to stare at the manila folder in horror.

"I told you you'd regret it," Gun sang, grabbing a cup of coffee. "Although I didn't expect it to be _this_ bad...good luck on getting those new employee's!" she stalked out of the room.

Tseng cursed every deity he could think of.

* * *

On the last day of his assignment Reno entered Rufus' office warily. He was greeted with a calm, "Sit down," from the slightly smaller teen.

"I must say," Rufus began slowly, almost picking his words carefully, "that this has been a most...entertaining three months. I have never met a recruit who could...last...the entire duration with me so for that I commend you and-"

"Cut th' big words out, yo," Reno drawled. "I like you too; it was fun. Ne'er met someone who coul' prank as good as you, yo."

"Does this mean a...truce?" Rufus asked after a second, brow furrowing.

"Was there e'er a war?" Reno replied and Rufus smiled slightly.

"No...I suppose there wasn't."

"Then there's no truce, yo."

Rufus nodded his head with a murmured, "Yes."

"Can I ask you a question?" Reno said after a minute.

"Hmm?"

"How old are you, yo?"

Rufus blinked before replying, "If I tell you that...I deserve an answer in response." Reno smirked and gave a nod of compliance before Rufus said, "Fifteen."

"Damn you're young!" Reno laughed and at Rufus' inquiring gaze he added, "'M'sixteen."

"Sixteen and a Turk?" Rufus questioned, shocked.

Reno shrugged, "S'pos'dly they liked me, yo."

The room fell into silence as the young blond processed what Reno said and as Reno stared contemplatively at him. Finally Rufus' attention was drawn back to the red head when Reno thrust his hand out with a slightly drawled, "Friends?" and a devil-may-care grin.

Rufus stared at the hand before tentatively grasping and then repeating in a soft voice, "Friends."

Reno smirked, pulled his hand back, and stated, "Best get back to my post, yo! Later, Ruffie!"

Rufus watched him leave, head tilted to the side slightly. Reno was certainly interesting, the teen decided, and most definitely fun.

A grin spread across his lips.

Yes, the red head was fun.

* * *

end chapter.

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_Yo! I'm sorry for taking forever to putting this up. I've been hectic with finals last month, headache that's due to a two month sinus infection that we didn't catch until after finals and hoped had left after the first set of antibiotics._

_It lessened in strength but didn't leave. Ugh. Now I'm on more antibiotics and a nasal spray. Bah!_

_Anyway, I do hope you all liked the "turk revenge" in this chapter. I'm sorry to say that I didn't include the horrors on the fifth floor, but maybe possibly (with suggestions) I might make a side-story dedicated to mishaps Reno and Rufus get into (and the other Turks/Characters if requested)_

_So yeah, my horrible month out of the way...let's get a few announcements done, shall we?_

_Right,__**Raika Katsuya**__you sent me several PM's which got me thinking maybe I should mention some things.__**Yes**__this story will eventually head back into wizardom.__**Yes**__I will make an interlude chapter (its looking to be chapter 7 or 8 now) as to what's going on in wizardom._

_This chapter clearly stated how old Rufus and Reno were (15 and 16) but other characters ages...yeah, I'll work it out. Suggestions are welcome too. Oh and I already know that Shuriken (Cissnei for those who played Crisis Core) is going to be Rufus' age._

_Also,__**yes**__this story has much to do with the planet, mako, the lifestream, and Reno himself. It's all interconnected but I'm not telling how so you'll just have to wait and see. Oh and Sirius' situation (back in chap 3 I believe Aerith said "Cetra A-" and was promptly cut off by Grim) go ahead and guess what Grim's situation and Aerith's unfinished sentence means to your hearts content. I'm not gonna say yes or no to anyone._

_For the anonymous reviewer__**Sephiroth's puppet Cloud**__- I'm glad you like the fic!_

_**Rekki^_^**__- I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Would you believe that I actually haven't spent that much time planning this? Really, I just have this__**basic**__outline-and I mean really basic as a lot of the stuff are not full figured out! I'm sorta working it out as I go. My friend__**Abyss of Essence**__formerly__**Shinigami's Shadow**__(stupid name stealers!) whom I call__**Shi**__is a great help. Yes he gets hidden insights to the story but he's like...my muse. Really._

_Oh, trust me, behind that sweet face is a sadistic woman. I mean, Cloud in a dress anyone? 'Cause in FF7 she sticks Cloud in a dress to rescue Tifa. Sadistic woman, I say. And yes Tseng was clever to use Bolt3 to get Reno to do as he said. I'm pretty sure he recognized signs of stubbornness in the kid and promptly used the best influence he could think of. Friendly pain; not meant to be hurtful for the sake of hurting but more like...friendship teasing...if that made any sense._

_Oh and yes Reno will have nicknames for everyone pretty much. If you (or any other reader) has ideas on nicknames let me know! Help is always appreciated._

_Now this chapter is dedicated to..._

_**Dark Reborn**__- I loved your review. Don't hesitate to ask anything about the series. I love FF7...I'm obsessed with it actually XD Thus I research everything I can about it, watch anything I can...it doesn't matter what. I'll find it out, whether rumor or truth. FF7 is my heaven. Ooh, rhyme!_

_**Rekki^_^**__- This goes to Rekki^_^ (prolly a second or third time now...wow) for recognizing the dark, sadistic woman behind the shy, sweet girl face. Aerith is cruel...yes, yes she is. Cloud in a dress people? (btw are you a she or a he?)_

_and..._

_**SunStar Kitsune**__- I'm glad you thought the whole "Turk ID equals Twin Kats' favorite story URLS" thing. Huh, maybe I should include the entire list of ID's? Bah; next chapter I suppose._

_So with that over with I would like to thank all of the reviewers for this lovely chapter:__**Rei Tamashii**__,__**Red Jeanie**__,__**Retse**__,__**lildevil425**__,__**Firehedgehog**__,__**Rune-Ruin**__, Rekki^_^,__**Lady Cinnibar**__, SunStar Kitsune, Sephiroths puppet Cloud,__Dark Reborn__(__**I'm curious as to why you chose this sign name btw)**__, and Ithilas_

_I think that's everyone! Thank you for all the supportive reviews!_

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	6. Rod

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

* * *

_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_**For this chapter rejoice!**__ I have finally decided to tame the evil slang. It should be much easier to read. Other than that I didn't change much continuity of this story as it didn't need it._

* * *

_**Planet's Eyes  
Rod**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1996**_

The entire fifth floor was never the same, even after Reno's term watching Rufus had finished. If at all Reno's time with Rufus merely gave the executive more ideas than he previously held for _payback_. Rufus didn't call them pranks (if he did then he would appear less aristocratic which was something he didn't want) even if that was what they truly were.

This in turn caused a lot of headaches for Tseng as it was, in a slightly indirect way, his entire fault. Needless to say Tseng learned a few valuable lessons during and _after_ the three months.

One: Don't try to get even or one up with Gun, especially by use of familial situations. The reciprocation _hurts_, and not just physically.

Two: Never assign a rookie to Rufus again; _especially_ if said rookie is a wild card.

Three: Verdot's form of payback is humiliating and _yes_ the man does have a sense of humor—a wicked, painful, and embarrassing sense of humor, so it is better to stay on his good side or _else_.

Four: When giving Reno assignments think carefully, especially if it is going through the easy choice versus the one that makes you shudder in fear (before the fact) as the easy choice just may be the one to _give you nightmares_ at the afterward. The fifth floor situation was a prime example.

Five: Don't give Reno any ideas; the mental stability of all personnel can't take the repeated beating.

Six: Rufus and Reno as a team is just plain scary; never do something so stupid again as it creates a monster...and lots of paperwork. Never mind that Rufus would probably work wonderfully with Reno on Turk missions, his father would have the hides of the Turks for such a thing. On that note it would be best to assign Reno a partner who could minimize any damage the red head might cause.

Unfortunately for Tseng he didn't get the option of choosing Reno's partner, Verdot did. Sadly the man chose Gun.

Tseng swore that the entire division was trying to give him gray hair _long_ before a typical guy with his work ever got some.

* * *

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ**__** 1997**_

"Flo'er girl," Grim tilted his head slightly to the side as he watched Aerith tend to the flowers in the church.

"Hmm?" Aerith hummed in response, gently picking a few of the fully bloomed flowers and placing them into a basket beside her. She snatched up the watering can next as Grim continued.

"Sh' wan's ya ta teach a kid, yo," Grim uttered.

"I heard," Aerith murmured. "But who or where the child is I don't know. Nor why for that matter."

"Sh' don' s'plain ev'ryt'in, yo," Grim sighed, leaning back. "Mos'ly ya gotta jus' read b'tw'n th' lin's les' ya miss som't'in." Gray-blue eyes gazed up at the ceiling.

"It still doesn't answer my questions," Aerith pointed out and Grim gave her a darkish leer with his bark like laugh.

"Tha's why'm 'ere, yo!" he barked out and Aerith gave him a pointed look. Calming he stated, "'M gonna brin' th' kid by, yo. 'E'll b' 'elp'n' Red, tha's why."

Aerith paused and pulled up from tending the flowers to stare fully at Grim.

"Reno?" she mumbled, curious. "She worries about him a lot, doesn't she," the young Cetra added thoughtfully.

"L've 'i a'tha', Aerith," Grim practically growled. "Ya kno' wha' ya ne'd w'en' 's'time, yo."

Aerith purse her lips but nodded in reluctant agreement before turning back to her flowers. She asked curiously, "So what is my to-be pupils name and what am I to teach them?"

Grim gave her another grin and replied, "'E's Rod; 'Di's 'ead, an' ya 'll kno' wha' ta teach 'im w'en ya me't 'im, yo."

Aerith went to shoot him a look out of the corner of her eye but noticed he had vanished. She just shook her head, lips twitching in mild amusement and muttered, "Keep safe, Grim," under her breath.

Apparently her Turk watcher was back.

* * *

Grim danced lightly from shadow to shadow, dodging pieces of debris and trash with practiced ease as he made his way deeper into the seedier parts of the Slums. These were the places he had forbidden Reno from traveling during their first month until he was sure the teen had tight control; afraid of another incident like back in Costa del Sol.

Although Reno had sadly remained wary of others (a good thing in the Slums but disheartening to Grim as he constantly hid himself under layers upon layers of masks) to which Grim cursed himself over and over for not listening sooner. Much of what happened could've have been prevented if he had. Reno would've healed better as well as he still displayed some signs (especially when he let his guard down as he was wont to do around those he became comfortable with, which led to slight concern with Reno's new life; he would, with time obviously, become much more comfortable with his Turk colleagues) of what he had gone through even now.

Of course then he would get a sharp reprimand of the past being the past and that he was turning out better for it in the end and that _she_ was very thankful he had at least wizened up before it got to be entirely permanent and damaging.

With a bitter sigh Grim pulled himself from his thoughts, already feeling the melancholy building up, and sharpened his gray gaze to his surroundings once more. He was here for a reason; Reno would need someone who understood a few of his secrets, and, in a way, could be the confident he wouldn't be able to find elsewhere (as Grim wasn't a permanent option they both knew) and so she tasked him to find Rod.

The boy had grown on Reno through the short time the teenager knew him, and he had grown much further on Grim afterward. With a few nudges here and there the boy's priorities (which were sadly getting sketchier and more skewed by the week) would be straightened and he'd be well on his way to being able to help Reno when Grim was unavailable.

The fact that the child had some latent talent (possibly spurned by the Mako that infested the Slums, just like Grim's own already present talents had been enhanced by it) helped a lot. That and Rod had a spot kept purely for Reno in his heart as well.

Yes, the boy was the best option. Both Grim and she knew it.

He just to find Rod and get him to see things the way they needed before letting 'nature take its course' as they say.

A wry grin fell across the man's lips; who knew he'd end up becoming so manipulative in the end? Well, at least it wasn't pushed beyond the boundaries as the white bearded know-it-all had. Grim knew if he ever went as far as that bastard of a man he'd commit suicide, ignoring the fact that if he did get that far he wouldn't think of suicide really. It was the principal of the matter that was important after all.

Now to find the red-headed boy and put things into motion...

* * *

"Grim?" reddish-brown eyes blinked at the shadows, having expertly caught the dance-like movement of Reno's companion.

"Yo," was the raspy growl from the shadows and Rod tilted his head slightly.

"Wha' brin's ya down 'ere?" Rod questioned. "Ya rar'ly com'n see 'Di."

Gray-ish eyes peered calculatingly at him from the shadows and Rod shuddered; Grim's gaze was unsettling sometimes.

"Red ne'ds ya, yo," was all the rasped reply.

Rod sat up straighter almost immediately and demanded, "Where?"

He could feel Grim's leering grin as the man replied, "F'low m'yo," and danced off through the shadows. Rod darted after him silently.

* * *

"Flo'er girl," Grim called, stepping into the church and out of the shadows. "I bro't ya stud'nt, yo!" Rod slipped through the doors behind the taller man and quickly spied the braided girl who stopped tending to the flowers.

"So you're Rod?" she asked, standing up and brushing off her knees.

"Grim?" Rod questioned, eyeing the man with thinly veiled curiosity and wariness.

"Sh' b' teach'n ya wha' ya ne'd ta b' abl' ta 'elp Red, yo," Grim replied, sitting himsef down in a corner. "M'gonna b' teach'n ya som' st'f too, bu' tha's, no' for 'noth'r two day, yo."

"Teachin' ma?" Rod questioned. "An' jus' wha'll ya b' teachin' ma? An' jus' who a'ya 'nieway?"

The girl pursed her lips before sighing exasperatedly and saying, "Grammar, Grim? Really? You want me to teach him grammar?"

"No' m'flo'er girl, sh' do's," Grim corrected coolly.

"Oi! Wha' ya talkin' 'bout?" Rod demanded and green eyes sharpened on him quickly. Rod took a hesitant step back; they looked so much like Reno's gaze, only softer and less powerful, but still penetrating. They were _not_ the eyes of a normal girl.

"My name is Aerith," Aerith stated. "I've been tasked to teach you how to speak _like a normal person_ instead of a street-slum rat. You'll need it if you want to help out Reno."

"Lik' 'ell—_FUCK!_" Rod's protest was cut short as he found himself unceremoniously slammed against a wall, a bo staff now clutched tightly in the flower girl's arms.

"You'll learn or you'll get whacked by my staff; choose wisely now," Aerith growled, ignoring the quiet chuckles from Grim.

Rod swallowed heavily.

Yes, she was definitely _not_ a normal girl.

"Well?" Aerith asked steely as Rod inched towards the door slowly, eyeing her warily, but to his horror he found the door locked seconds later.

"You're not leaving until you've learned to speak like a civilized person," was the short response.

Rod whimpered.

* * *

Grim had watched the entire proceedings for two hours. The boy was strong willed, that Grim had to admit, and then promptly winced in sympathetic pain as a gasping cry flew out of Rod's mouth. The red head crashed to the ground.

He smiled wryly; the first half hour Rod had tried to beat Aerith and run, which he promptly learned that Aerith was a force to be reckoned with, and it was only when she was beginning to tire that Grim stepped in and knocked Rod off his feet.

Needless to say Rod had resigned himself to following the lessons. Of course the speaking was coming along okay, but every now and then he'd slip back and Aerith would smash her staff into his stomach, crack it over his head, smack his knees, or thrust the weapon right in between his thighs. She only really used that last one when Rod swore.

"Try it again," Aerith said calmly and Rod staggered to his feet.

"I don' see wha' th's'll do ta 'elp Red," Rod stated and was quickly rewarded with a sharp smack over his head.

"When you speak to me you will speak without that horrible accented slang, understood?" Aerith snapped. "Again!"

"I said I don' see what this'll do ta 'elp Red!" Rod growled, rubbing his head. "An' do ya have ta hit so hard?"

"Well, I'll say that's an improvement," Grim rasped and both Aerith and Rod turned towards him.

"Grim?" she questioned. "Did you just-"

"What do ya think I spoke like b'fore bringin' Red 'ere, yo," Grim snapped. "'Sides, my bitch moth'r made sure I coul' act like a 'proper man o' my station' bunch o' rot tha' is."

"But..." Aerith trailed off.

"I slip'd; ya less'ns an' th' way ya both talkin' now jus' bro't 'ow I sp'ke b'fore back, yo," Grim stated, his voice already sliding back into the slang.

"Ya mean ya didn' grow up 'ere?" Rod asked, confused. "Tha' ya'r som' rich boy?" Grim eyed Aerith before sighing and giving a short nod.

"Bu' I don' use m'money b'ca'se th' one's 'm 'tectin' Red from'll fin' us, yo," Grim sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "'Sides, no' l'ke gil. Dif'rent cur'ncie."

"Where did ya liv' b'fore, Grim?" Rod asked, sitting down on a crate nearby, rubbing at his ribs.

"Som'wh'r far 'way from 'ere," was all Grim said before standing. "Now Rod'n I hafta go, Flo'er Girl," he stated, staring straight at Aerith. "Ya wa'ch i'back, yo."

"You'll bring him by next shift break, right?" Aerith asked under her breath, eyes glancing to the doors of the church.

"They no' qui' 'ere ye', Flo'er Girl," Grim told her with a sigh as he walked over to Rod. He pulled the boy up by his arm, earning a quiet yelp in response. "I'll b' teach'n' 'im som'o Red'n my 'istry. 'E'll ne'd i' 'spec'ly 'cause I can' b' th'r all th' tim', yo."

"Grim wha're ya-" Rod started but silenced at a cold glare from the gray-ish orbs.

"Quie'," he growled and Rod nodded quickly. Giving Rod a once over Grim nodded once to himself before flicking his wrist at the church doors. Rod could hear a quiet snap before he was dragged out the back.

Just in time too as Tseng came through the door.

* * *

It was a total of two weeks before Aerith deemed Rod "good enough" at grammar in both speaking and writing. Grim had given her a nod of thanks that day, motioned to Rod, and both had slipped away as if they had never been there.

Two or three times during the next week Grim dropped in to check on her and the flowers before departing within minutes. Aerith knew he was busy with getting Rod to wherever he needed to be in what he was teaching the boy. Given that Grim had _begged_ her for a restore materia during the first week told her that whatever they were doing it was certainly damaging.

When she asked one time just what he was teaching Rod Grim had said plainly, "'E's gift'd; no' lik' ya, an' no' 'sactly lik' m'an' def'nat'ly no'ere ne'r close ta Red, bu' 'e i'spec'l. Tha's all ya ne'd ta kno' fer now, yo."

The next time when she had asked why he wanted a restore materia when she knew well and good he already had one the dark haired, gray eyed man had said, "M'restore materia i'lik' ya'r spec'l materia tha' ya ma lef' ya. I's mad' specif'cly for m'n'Red. No one else, yo."

Aerith had let the subject drop after that.

Now though three weeks had passed, Reno would be turning seventeen in just over a month (having weaseled his birthday out of him during one of their meetings), and she hadn't seen Grim for pretty much the whole week. It worried her a bit, even though she felt the soothing flow around her trying to tell her that everything was okay.

Still, when he appeared in the church Aerith immediately began to tear into him.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been worried fucking sick over you, Grim! You always try to see me once a day! ALWAYS! But it's been almost _five_ days since I last saw you and that was just you stating that you finished teaching Rod and sent him out! You haven't even told me how he was going to get to where Reno was!" she screeched.

Grim winced and backed up.

"Fa'giv' m'yo!" he cried out, hands up in a peace gesture. "I was jus' makin' sur' th' kid woul' ge' th'r an' tha' Red'll kno'. 'Course 'e'll prolly 'urt m'for no' ask'n 'im 'bout th' kid..."

Aerith frowned and asked, "How were you making sure?"

"'E can' resis' a chal'nge, yo," Grim said, grinning. "Tha' an' I specif'cly gav' th' boy som'thin' tha' 'e'll 'ave ta tell Red 'bout, yo."

Aerith stared at him before turning away with a sigh. "Why is he so important?" she questioned.

"Rod or Red?" Grim replied.

"Both," Aerith clasped her hands in front of her, turning her head to gaze at Grim's slightly hunched form.

"Rod'll b' 'is conf'dent so 'e don' fe'l too pres'ur'd or parano'd, yo. A' leas' until 'e fe'ls comfer'ble 'nuf ta tell 'em why 'e i'so 'portant 'ims'lf, yo."

"But he doesn't realize it, does he," Aerith murmured.

"No. 'E don' re'lize'i w'ch i'why Rod'll b' th'r," Grim stated calmly.

Aerith bit her lip and bowed her head slightly, hands still clasped together as she prayed. Grim shifted over to her until one of his rough hands settled on her shoulder. Aerith didn't move; it was how they "talked" to her without finding a river of Lifestream. Grim helped the connection stay focused; otherwise she would probably still be overwhelmed by all the voices superimposed over each other.

The two stood like that until Tseng approached. Only then did Grim take his hand off her shoulder which broke the connection and then darted into the shadows and out the back. Aerith had let out a soft cry of surprise and jerked back as her anchor-Grim-had left quite suddenly.

Tseng had rushed over to her, asking questions but she couldn't hear him. There was too much noise, too many voices.

In the shadows Grim watched sadly as Tseng called for a med-unit, the Turk's eyes darting around the church. Grim shifted and left.

He already knew Tseng had seen him; there wasn't much more he was allowed to do. She was forceful about his use of the memory charm; when she said no or gave a name and said no he would obey. There really wasn't any other option.

The Planet knew what was best for her children after all.

* * *

"Now wha' do we go' 'ere, yo," Reno drawled his mag-rod resting gently over his shoulder. "A thief, eh?" The silhouette of the thief jerked and moved to race off but with a fluid and sharp movement Reno stopped the person before he got even two feet away. He calmly bound the kid up and pulled out a phone.

"Yo, Gun," he said. "Yeah I got 'im. ETA two minutes? Standin' by then, yo." The phone flipped shut and Reno turned to look at his guest.

"Now jus' who are ya?" he drawled calmly, flicking the light-switch next to him. He stiffened, catching sight of a familiar childish face. "Wha' are ya doin' 'ere ya stupid fuck!" Reno growled and Rod jerked back.

"Jus'..." he squeaked and Reno groaned.

"Well 'm sorry ta say ya won' ge' off easy les' th' bossman thinks ya'd be good 'elp, yo."

"You're a Turk?" Rod whispered weakly and Reno raised an eyebrow.

"Ya speak like Flo'er Girl?"

"On pain of being hit with a staff," was the blunt answer and Reno laughed. "'Nieway, can we talk?" Reno's laughter died as he checked the time.

"Ya go' one minute," he said, eyes turning into emerald chips. Rod's tone put him on edge.

"Padfoot equals Grim who is ya dogfather an' guardian; 'e brought ya 'ere 'cause a 'she' tol' 'im to. Said i'was fa ya safety," Rod rushed out and Reno stiffened.

"Why the fuck would he tell ya that, yo," he snarled.

"'Cause apparently Mako enhances the talents of people," Rod mumbled.

"Meanin'?"

"I can do magic, Reno. Jus' like you and Grim."

Reno just stared at him, long and hard, and didn't stop staring even when Gun came in with a few officers. It was when they dragged the boy out of the garage that Reno turned his gaze towards the blonde woman.

"What's wrong?" Gun asked softly, touching his arm.

"Make sure Verdot 'ear's 'bout 'im," Reno stated.

"Why?"

"'E'll b'a grea' 'elp, Gun. 'E re'ly w'll, yo."

Gun nodded sharply, having gotten to know Reno a bit more since Verdot paired them up. She now understood that he slipped into the slang almost subconsciously when something was 'important' or would be important or was personal. It was one of the quirks, alongside Reno's like of coffee with practically a whole cup of sugar, his sixth sense for danger, and his strategic and extremely well developed mind.

So she didn't question it; Reno wouldn't give her an answer even if she did.

* * *

end chapter.

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_Alright, yes I provided a translation for a FEW of the above slum accented sentences; the ones that are tough to read and I said I wouldn't translate...I have a reason. It's not because I don't understand it, I do, but because I don't want to give EVERYTHING from this chapter away. My readers, some things I want you to puzzle out on your own and guess at. Even though I will neither confirm nor deny if your guess correct, however if it ever comes true you will have full gloating rights for getting it right WITHOUT any hint from me besides the ones given to EVERYONE inside the chapter XP_

_Plus it will tell me how predictable I am...and__**Shi-kun**__! You CANNOT participate! You are my idea buddy/wall/table/bunny/muse/best friend, you know too much. Letting you guess alongside others would just be...unfair. Because you'd probably be right so...DON'T SAY ANYTHING about WHAT MAY/MAY NOT be in a review, kay? I DO want to keep somethings underwraps my hugable, lovable idea bunny! -glomps-_

_So apart from that I think I should get on to some__**important**__things and then flip over to the anonymous reviewers._

_**First things first**__: I have__**several polls**__that I want__**you**__my__**readers**__to vote in. The__**links**__are in my bio at the top, as well as in a section all on their own. They are all in a__**forum**__made specifically for my stories.__**The polls are**__(and please__**vote**__at the poll and__**not**__in a review; a vote in a review will not be counted unless you are an anonymous reviewer. Then I will make a mark)_

_**#1:**_**General**_**:**__Should I create a side-story with one-shots of Reno, Rufus, and eventually Zack's pranks?__**(go to my bio and vote; I will not place the available options here)  
#2:**_**Ages:**_How old should Tseng be?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#3:**_**Ages:**_How old should Gun be?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#4:**_**Ages:**_How old should Elena be?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#5:**_**Ages:**_How old should Rude be?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#6:**_**Pairings:**_Do you want a RenoRufusCloud threesome?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#7:**_**Pairings:**_Should Grim(Sirius) be paired with someone?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#8:**_**Pairings:**_Should Rod be paired with someone?__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)  
#9:**_**Interludes:**_Do you want to see the wizards situation in ONE chapter or MULTIPLE chapters? (aka: just one chapter for the whole thing OR a group of chapters titled "interlude" detailing what has gone on in England during Reno/Harry's disappearance)__**(go to my forum and vote; I will not place the options here)**_

_**ALL OF THESE POLLS SHALL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL I FINISH THE FIRST INTERLUDE CHAPTER (the next chapter) AND I FEEL I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH AMOUNT OF VOTES FOR POLL #9! AFTER CHAPTER 7 THE POLLS WILL GRADUALLY CLOSE, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY VOTES THEY RECIEVE. THANK YOU!**_

_**Now**__onto the anonymous reviews!_

_First up: Rekki^_^_

_Ah, Rekki^_^ my faithful anon. reviewer...I think it was more Tseng wanted to prevent imagined disaster of Midgar, but maybe a little revenge was also thrown in. He should have known better though...now he does at least XP And yes, Gun knows her boss well; too bad Tseng didn't appear to get the memo until just recently that Verdot isn't all business._

_Yes, Reno and Rufus are totally worth each other, and they shall stay the main pairing (unless the threesome comes through) and yes I was asking your gender XD Well, here's your next update my faithful and no...no Zack wasn't nearby, sadly. He was whisked away by Angeal for last minute training BUT! But Zack will find out...soon...I think..._

_Next: Sephiroth's puppet Cloud_

_Oh yes, Chocobo-head, a common nickname. I prefer Chocobo-butt personally but we'll see... and wicked, you got Cloud to be picked? Yes, yes he would make a pretty girl...I've never played the game personally though._

_You're comment on Cloud's nickname reminded me!__**I NEED HELP ON NICKNAMES RENO GIVES PEOPL! PLEASE SEND IN IDEAS!**__If your idea get's chosen then you get bragging rights!_

_That's about it so...yeah. No dedications this chapter people, sorry! Thanks to all the reviewers though! I luvs you all!_

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	7. Interlude I

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

* * *

_**NOTE TO CURRENT READERS/FOLLOWERS OF PLANET'S EYES: **__I'm going through the chapters and doing an overhaul. This means I'm editing, sometimes adding, and sometimes deleting things. I'm doing this because some rather important information came into light. At the beginning of each chapter I will state if there were any major changes and then strongly suggest you re-read them. For the most part however not much of the overall story will change. It should just flow a bit better._

_Sorry for any inconvenience!_

_Literally nothing of this chapter was changed. Grammatical errors edited yes, but nothing changed._

* * *

_**Planet's Eyes  
Interlude (pt.1)**_

**Ignorant Lands:** _England_, _**August 23rd**_ _**1994**_

"Ron! What are you doing!" Hermione called through the door as she rapped her knuckles against it. Ron yanked the door open in response with an almost growled, "Don't do that; you sound like my mum!"

"Ronald," Hermione sighed with a roll of her eyes.

"_What!_" Ron cried and Hermione arched an eyebrow. Glaring mutinously the red head grumbled under his breath, "Oh fine; I was sending Pig off with a letter to Harry-to tell him we're picking him up tomorrow."

"Why haven't you sent him something _before_ today?" Hermione asked, both eyebrows arched now. Ron colored slightly.

"Err...well, Pig and Errol wouldn't take his birthday presents, and I planned to tell him then," the red head mumbled.

"Wait, but Mrs. Weasley said—" Hermione started but Ron shook his head.

"I hid them when it became obvious."

"_Ronald!_"

"What? I figured I'd try again the next day!" Ron cried indignantly.

"Did you?"

"Well no but..."

Hermione rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Well then have you sent the letter now?"

The young Weasley shook his head, saying, "I was just tying it to Pig when you knocked."

"Oh."

A slightly awkward silence fell over the two.

"Well then why don't you send him off?"

"Err...right."

Ron walked over towards Pig's perch and picked up the oddly still bird, making sure the letter was fastened, before saying, "Take this to Harry, Pig," and setting the tiny owl on the open window sill. Pig just stared up at Ron's blue eyes and didn't budge.

"Pig I said take it to Harry!"

Again the owl just stared into Ron's eyes. Groaning the fourteen year old collapsed onto his bed.

"Dammit and Errol wouldn't take the letter either," he grumbled out. "_Now_ how am I supposed to tell him?"

Hermione meanwhile had watched the whole thing with a frown; she didn't like the feeling settling in her gut. Considering it was the same thing the post owl she had hired to send Harry his gifts with had responded the same (costing a bit extra to return it without the delivery) she felt the 'feeling' no matter how disconcerting was justified. Now if only she knew what an owl's lack of response meant for the recipient.

"Ron," she spoke up, catching the red head's interest. "I think we should tell your mum about this."

"Why?"

"Because the post owl acted the same way when I tried to send Harry his birthday gifts," the brunette replied matter-of-factly. "And you _said_ that both Errol and Pig acted this way when you tried to send his gifts as well. It _has_ to mean something!"

Ron's face scrunched up slightly, almost as if he was thinking hard, before he began speaking out loud.

"The same thing happened with Uncle Bilius I think."

Hermione blinked, "What?"

"My uncle," Ron said. "The one who saw the Grim? I think dad was trying to send him a letter with Errol, but Errol wouldn't budge. He became worried and next thing I know we're holding a funeral..." the red head trailed off, a frown crossing his face, completely missing the horrified look that was crossing Hermione's. He did notice however when she tore out of his room, calling for Mrs. Weasley.

* * *

It was several hours later that Arthur Weasley got home, and when he did it was to a completely frantic Weasley Matriarch and confused children.

"Molly?" Arthur questioned, a frown crossing his face.

"Oh Arthur!" Molly cried. "None of the owls will take anything to Harry! No matter what I do they just don't respond!"

"Harry? What?" Arthur blinked, the words slowly processing for a second. Once they had fully computed he yelled, "_WHAT!_" grabbed Molly by the shoulders, sat her down, and said in an eerily calm voice, "Tell me everything, Molly dear. What happened?"

And Molly did. Everything that Hermione had told her, and that she had forced out of Ron. It only took five minutes, but once she was done (and crying loudly against Arthur's shoulder) Arthur was as pale as a ghost.

"Shh, Molly," the Weasley Patriarch tried to soothe his distraught wife. "Dumbledore will know what's wrong. It's probably just a new ward he stuck up acting funny; it probably doesn't mean anything. I'll contact him, okay? Just calm down. Harry's fine. I'm sure of it."

As soon as Molly had calmed a bit Arthur floo'd Dumbledore; a few minutes of conversation and the Weasley Patriarch sat down weakly, ashen faced.

"Arthur?" Molly asked, her hands twisting nervously.

"Dumbledore's checking it out," was all Arthur said, and even then it was faint.

Two hours later Dumbledore told Arthur Harry was missing; Arthur sold the family's Quidditch World Cup tickets to his children's dismay, and then began planning a three year-long vacation to Egypt.

There was no mistake in either of the Weasley parents' mind.

Harry Potter was dead; and they weren't going to stay behind to see the chaotic aftermath.

Hermione of course was invited along, something she quickly told her parents of. Within the week the entire Weasley clan, and the Granger family, were in Egypt for a three year-long vacation while the Wizarding World went crazy over Harry's disappearance and later believed death.

* * *

_end __**Interlude (pt.1)**_

* * *

_Omake: How Zack learned about Reno and Rufus' Pranking Habits_

Reno had been happy that Verdot decided to make Rod a Turk—even more so when he didn't have to go through the Academy—and showed his happiness in the only way he could without giving away why.

Pranking the hell out of the Turk division and the fifth floor (to which Rufus always retaliated in kind) and watching the chaotic aftermath. Of course he stayed away from Gun, Shuriken, and most times Verdot. If he got Gun, she'd get him back twice as hard. If he got Shuriken...let's just say Reno was hiding in the rafters above the ceiling tiles for weeks. As for Verdot...it depended on the prank.

So with a cheery whistle Reno had greeted Rod as the newest Turk recruit—he was promptly paired to Nunchaku much to the poor blond's horror.

Reno, for his greeting to Rod, made sure to switch the shampoo of various Turks with various colors or smells. The result was a horrendous shade of puce that was Tseng's hair, bright neon-green was Rod's new look, and Nunchaku found himself smelling like skunk.

He didn't leave it at that, either. He went and placed laxatives in Rude's coffee and watched gleefully as the man had raced to the bathroom (totally out of character for him) only to find it out of order as somehow the pluming got screwed up; didn't stop the big man from using them anyway.

He also dished out several traps, only these were for the fifth floor.

Just outside the elevator he had stuck a tripwire that was connected to a match that hovered above a candle—rather crude but Reno wasn't going for modern finesse; he just wanted chaos. The candle then had a thin piece of rope wrapped around it that weaved in the rafters above the ceiling tiles. Several other pieces of rope where clasped tightly against giant bags.

The final thing was Rufus' office. Reno had somehow turned the walls pink, replaced his desk and chair with fluffy contraptions, and left a small note saying 'If you want payback, go for Tseng' in thin cursive.

Of course when Rufus entered his door he also sprung another trap, this one smashed a bag of flower in his face and on his head, followed promptly by a bucket of paint positioned right where he stumbled back to which he stepped in and slipped, falling to the ground in an undignified heap, eyes facing the ceiling which just then seemed to burst open. Bags of trash, flour, water, paint, and oil ended up covering the whole fifth floor.

Somewhere on the fourth floor a young SOLDIER 3rd Class named Zack Fair heard screaming, not unlike that of which had sounded for several months on end. He turned blue eyes to his mentor and asked, "What the heck is going on up there, Angeal?"

Angeal glanced sideways at his 'student' (more like puppy) and replied, "You don't want to know."

Zack frowned and figured the minute he got some alone time he was going to see what it was for himself.

And that was the day that Zack Fair met the 'executive(prankster)' Rufus Shinra and the Turk (who acted not like a Turk at all to the teen's surprise) who caused the whole mess: Reno.

Tseng wasn't the only one cursing the God's after that day; Angeal was as well.

* * *

_end chapter_

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_YO! Thank you ALL for the WONDERFUL replies and for the amazing readers who voted on the polls! You have seriously made my__**year**__! Now, this was being a bit tricky unfortunately as I__**knew**__what I wanted for the__**1994**__Interlude however I couldn't get it out and I wanted the timeframe to at least be semi-correct. As my Harry Potter book 4 is in storage with practically every other book I own I ended up googling "Harry Potter Timeline" and discovered the Harry Potter Lexicon actually has a calender made up for HP series book 4/year 1994! It was a joyous moment, yes it was._

_So I was finally able to spit out the interlude. The__**omake**__at the end of the chapter is something I'm tinkering of doing with every__**Interlude**__chapter. This particular__**omake**__I had written to be the beginning of the next chapter that happens after the end of__**chapter 6**__- in other words: Rod has become a Turk. Long story short I'm revising the (as of now) next chapter and decided to toss in the beginning of what would have been the next chapter as an__**omake**__._

_And yes, the Grangers and the Weasley's are now in Egypt._

_The next Omake to the next Interlude (for the year__**1995**__which is currently TBD) will probably be about Hedwig as I have actually realized I completely forgot about her (I realized this two chapters back; I have been trying to find a way to bring her back into the story and finally, with the idea of these omakes, I have found my way!)_

_Anyway, I figured I'd let you all know the results of my polls that will end as of right now (with the finishing of this chapter)_

_Many of you my lovely readers said that__**one**__interlude chapter was good enough. However I have final say-the polls are for reader input mostly; especially on things like this interlude chapter-and have decided to instead go with the__**second**__loved option: multiple interlude chapters varied throughout the story. One for each year Reno is missing._

_This__**means**__that there will be__**at estimated least**__fourteen interlude chapters as when Reno returns to the wizarding world he shall be__**twenty-eight**__. However it may be less as I may combine some years if they don't have much detail._

_Pushing past all this I would like to state__**why**__the following have gained the__**dedication**__for this chapter._

_**Hikari Kaiya, irin,**__and__**Apocalyptical**__have gotten the dedication because they did something I feared none of my readers would do:__**they followed the directions!**__In my poll (number 7) they followed the directions of__**state who you want Sirius to be with if you said yes**__. They were the__**first three**__to do so and so I really have to give them this as they also happen to be the__**first three**__to even follow__**any**__sort of direction I have stated for a poll!__**THANK YOU!**_

_Now for the anonymous reviewers:_

_**Rekki^_^**_

_LOL! Ah, I loved the start of your review. Yes, Dot-Head has learned a valuable lesson...never underestimate the dangerousness of a seemingly simple job. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I'm sorry that it was so hard to understand (trust me, I got so many reviews about the accent that I realized it's about 100 times worse than when I started after looking back...funny how that happens, eh?) And yes Grim is plotting...but not so much as__**just**__Grim._

_As I said before Aerith and Harry are__**not**__related (although I__**do**__have a fic idea focusing on that XD yeah...) and no the Cetra don't all have green eyes as I so kindly will point out that Grim has some connection to them and his eyes are a smokey-grey-blue-ish color. However Reno does have a connection to__**the Planet**__but it's not really a connection to the Cetra (unless you count Grim's connection and Reno's connection to Grim...) BUT I found your rambling funny. Voldemort having Jenova cells and Mako enhancements *snicker* That was funny...and ironically close to the line of another one of my story ideas O.o_

_You haven't been spying on me, have you...?_

_Okay, so your vote on the prank fic has been casted (that's a plus towards creating the side-fic...I better make a note of this) and you're vote for Tseng's age is closest to the option of being 20 so that vote has been cast...and Rude's age vote is actuall smack dab in the middle of two options so Rekki^_^ I'm asking you to choose the following ages for your vote to be cast:__**19**__years old or__**21**__years old for__**Rude**__._

_Right, next you voted for Gun's age and the closest there was Gun being__**20**__(you said 22 or 23-one of the options was 20 so that is where you vote got tagged on to) You also voted for__**Elena**__to be fifteen and since I had the age for__**Elena**__as two years or three years younger than Gun (for whom your vote has been tagged as__**20**__) I believe__**three years younger**__is closer to your choice so your vote as ben tagged towards there...which would leave her at about one year older than Reno XP_

_Uh, lesse...that's about it for you review so thank you for the votes and the rather humorous review!_

_**roadkill**_

_Alright, you're vote has been tagged for the RenoRufusCloud threesome (it is very popular and I love it so thanks *wink*)_

_**morissa**_

_I can undertand what you mean about the slang being understandable earlier. It has seemed to migrate into a much worse dialect. I'm working on toning it down, however there are some important clues hidden within it and while I cringe to think I made so many people skip it...I completely understand. I'm trying to fix it for future chapters._

_That's pretty much it besides my anger at the__**sort of**__flamer review but I'll ignore it for now. Thank you too__**all**__of my reviewers: Firehedgehog, Lemo, Shadowgal ANBU, Greg: Me Myself and I, Rekki^_^, roadkill, Dark Reborn, Rune-Ruin, Vicantis, Michael01, Silvermane1, morissa, PleiadesWolfe, ViviMouse,__**and**__Anime Monster. THANK YOU ALL!_

_TK  
Twin Kats_


	8. Concern

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

_**Planet's Eyes  
Concern**_

_**Known Lands: **__circa winter __**μ εyλ**__** 199**__**7**_

Reno didn't expect the rather abrupt summons to Verdot's office and so had warily entered the room.

Belatedly he'd realized that he should've expected the summons sooner or later.

As it was the red head found himself nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot, eyeing his superior warily, his EMR loosely hanging from his wrist although he was ready to yank the weapon up and flip it on in a moments notice. Given that Verdot had remained eerily silent thus far Reno's already slightly frayed nerves were fraying even more.

Finally the director decided to speak.

"What do you think of the situation with AVALANCHE?" Verdot asked, tone purely professional.

Reno stopped his nervous rocking, slightly confused.

"Sir?" he asked, hesitantly, and Verdot sighed.

"Rod's first mission he discovered AVALANCHE," was the reply.

Reno looked away, the memory rising.

* * *

_"Damn, six of 'em..." Rod cursed, backing up slowly as the six AVALANCHE members drew near him. "This ain't good..." The group was ready to attack when a red and black blur darted past, leaping into the air and delivering a round house kick to one of the AVALANCHE member's heads, knocking the guy into the others._

__

"Fuck, kid, ya try'n ta ge' m'piss'd, yo?" Reno snapped. "Th' fuck ya doin' facin' six o' th' creeps, ya ass?"

"Reno..." Rod breathed out. "I thought you and Gun had a mission?"

"Fuck my mission, kid," Reno snapped. "Where's ya partner, yo?"

"Separated," Rod replied shortly.

"Nunchaku's gonna ge'i' from Gun, yo," Reno mumbled as the AVALANCHE members pulled themselves up. "They're movin'; ge' ready!"

Rod nodded sharply.

* * *

"Too many," Rod panted.

"Head to th' reactor!" Reno shouted. "Tha's th' target, yo!"

"But-"

"MOVE!"

Rod gave a short nod and ran. Once the boy was gone Reno let a grin fall across his lips.

"Let's dance," he said, and in quick succession had the grouped knocked out.

"That is impressive...you certainly live up to the name you made for yourself in so little time, it seems."

Reno whirled around, green eyes landing sharply on the wild haired, wild eyed man.

"Who are you," was the cold demand.

"But," the man continued, "are you truly as good as they claim?"

"Wanna fuckin' test it?" and with a shark-like grin Reno attacked.

The man dodged his first initial strike with the EMR, and then the following punch, so when Reno brought his leg up for a swift kick it didn't end up being so surprising for his leg to be caught and for him to be throw harshly into the wall.

"Gagh!" Reno fell to the ground, wincing. He rolled onto his hands and knees only to get a kick to the gut, effectively knocking him back down to the ground.

"So much for reputation," the man said, stomping on Reno's chest.

"ARGH!"

Reno jerked, coughing up some blood. He could barely hear Rod's cry of shock.

"Reno!"

Reno's vision swam as he saw Rod near; every protective instinct flared to life and with adrenaline fueled limbs Reno launched up and kicked the wild man back before addressing Rod.

"Run! He's too strong for you!"

The next second all he knew was darkness.

_

* * *

_  
"Yeah I 'member," Reno sighed bitterly.

"How are your ribs?" Verdot asked after a second, likewise remembering the situation.

"Tender," was the short response.

Verdot nodded and then repeated his earlier question; "What do you think of the situation with AVALANCHE?"

Reno was silent for a moment; he replied, "They're dangerous; very dangerous, yo."

"That's what I thought," Verdot murmured.

The silence stayed heavily in the air.

"The President seems to be their next target," he stated.

"Protection detail?" Reno asked, almost wearily. Verdot nodded. "Who with?"

"Rude, Rod, and Gun."

"Right then; I'll go tell 'em, yo," Reno made to leave but was stopped by Verdot's concerned voice.

"Are you really okay?"

Reno closed his eyes.

"I'm fine," he said and disappeared out the door.

Verdot frowned after him.

* * *

"Oi! Gun! We gotta job, yo!" Reno hollered as he leaped calmly over the railing to the floor below. He hid his wince at the movement; damn his ribs were still sore!

"Where to?" the blonde asked, raising her head.

"Junon," Rod said softly, leaning against the wall. "Rude told me," he added at Gun and Reno's surprised looks.

"Ah; 'course the big man'd know somthin', yo," the red head mumbled. "Where is he?"

"Here."

Reno twisted slightly to view Rude before nodding. The dark skinned man had been assigned as Rod's partner shortly after that first disastrous run-in with AVALANCHE; Nunchaku had been reassigned to reconnaissance since he lost track of his rookie partner. That meeting didn't go so well, if Reno remembered correctly. He was pretty sure Nunchaku almost had tears in his eyes.

"Great; then let's get to the 'copter!" Reno sang, pushing the thoughts about Rod's change in partners aside. He practically danced out of the room.

"Red sure likes flying those things, don't he?" Rod asked.

Gun gave a small smile and a nod as she replied, "It was the only thing he didn't short out on his first day."

"Short...out...?" Rod stared at her for a second, barely noticing both she and Rude were walking away. Of course the second it clicked Rod realized they were almost down the corridor.

"HEY! Wait for me, dammit!"

* * *

_**ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_Hello my faithful readers; I just got the shock/surprise in my research of Final Fantasy VII; Before Crisis is actually EXTREMELY extensive. It starts just after the end of the war with Wutai, and goes all the way to around Zack's imprisonment by Hojo. Knowing this now I've realized that Before Crisis will contain a rather large portion of this story._

_Thankfully I found a lovely site with descriptions of the script and gameplay. Hopefully I can make this authentic as it can be. As you no doubt noticed I've been editing any and all chapters for Planet's Eyes. I admit to having continuity errors within my story. Upon realizing this, and the vaugness of every chapter, I began to edit them. All chapters but the first didn't need much. In fact the further along they needed very little editing. Still I suggest that you all go back and reread over the past chapters either way. _

_Anyway, enjoy! And sorry if I haven't been responding to reviews. I've been busy._

_Ta!_

_-TK_


	9. Revolver

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU _

_**Planet's Eyes  
Revolver**_

**Known Lands: **_circa winter __**μ εyλ 1997**_

_"That doesn't look so good, yo,"_ Reno's voice cackled over the helicopter radio. Beside him Gun gave a nod of agreement.

_"What's the problem, Red?"_ Rod questioned. His voice likewise hold that static quality to it.

_"Looks like AVALANCHE is massing a large group just outside of Junon," _Gun replied. _"Rude, call Verdot. He's gonna want to know this."_

__

"Roger."

_"Well, I'm taking her down," _Reno said. _"Our objective still is President-sitting, yo."_

__

"Reno..."

"What?"

Gun just shook her head as Reno swerved the helicopter away towards the hotel.

* * *

"What?" Verdot frowned at the phone. "Are you serious? How many?" the man bit his lip before hissing angrily, "Alright; Shuriken and Revolver will be sent out as back-up. You have the PHS number." There was a muffled confirmation. "Good; contact them if things get rough." Sighing Verdot set the phone back down.

"Sir?" Tseng asked warily at the door. Dark eyes were alight with concern for his director.

"AVLANCHE appears to be massing outside Junon," Verdot murmured, rubbing his temples. "Get me Shuriken and Revolver; they're heading out as back-up."

"Revolver, sir?" Tseng asked, biting his lip slightly.

"I know the man's track record, Tseng," Verdot sighed. "His abilities however will be invaluable."

Grimacing Tseng gave a nod. He paused on his way out to say, "There's some aspirin in the left hand drawer. Parting gift from Gun," before disappearing out the door, a frown etched on his face.

Tseng didn't like the man called Revolver; not at all.

* * *

"Oi! Revolver! Get your ass geared up we're heading over to Junon!" chocolate eyes gazed hard at the messy, dark haired man who was actually taking some down time for once.

One violet eye opened and with a rich, cultivated sounding voice the man replied, "_We_ have a mission?"

"Yes," the red head sighed; this man tried her patience to its near limit. Sometimes she actually wanted to flay his ass...right alongside Reno's when he dared to prank her.

"Very well," was the murmured response; fluidly the man got up and within seconds had himself armed and ready to go. "You're flying?" he questioned.

"Of course," she replied.

"Shuriken!"

The red head turned and blinked slightly before saying, "Nunchaku?"

"Hey!" Nunchaku gasped, coming to a halt before her. His blonde hair fell in front of his eyes which he quickly pushed out of the way. "Tseng wanted me to tell you to make sure Revolver follows orders this time...by any means necessary."

Violet eyes instantly pinned Nunchaku coldly, "What is that supposed to mean?" was the demand.

"Um...ah...well..."

"Thanks for message, Nunchaku," Shuriken interrupted, pushing him out the door. "I'll take Tseng's advice to heart. Don't worry, this one won't be messed up."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Revolver demanded Shuriken.

"You suck at following orders," was the bland reply. "Now let's go."

Grumbling Revolver followed her out out of the building.

* * *

"Look sir, all I'm sayin' is tha' maybe it's a better idea-" Reno tried but the President shook his head sharply.

"We're too far behind as it is," the man snapped out and Reno backed up.

"I hear ya, I hear ya," the red head sighed before glancing to Gun. "Well?"

"Revolver and Shuriken should be here within the hour," the blonde replied, snapping her PHS shut.

"Good; we'll leave then," Reno nodded, turning back towards the President who looked ready to protest. "Tell m'sir, would ya dyin' a public death give the impression ya so desire?" the man stilled. "Thought not, yo. We wait for Revolver and Shuriken; an hour longer won't hurt."

"Fine," the President conceeded. "An hour...and only an hour _with or without_ this back up."

Reno rolled his green eyes and pulled out his PHS, flipping it open and hitting a button before bringing it to his ear.

"Well? What ya got, Rod?" he said.

_"This place is crawling with AVALANCHE, Red. It's almost like they know our every move-Verdot's been notified. Nunchaku and Shotgun are looking into the possibilities of a leak back in Midgar."_

"Th' bathroom's got a leak, yo?" Reno blinked.

_"Yeah, seems like it._"

"Well then I guess we'll need those plumbers after all..."

_"Reno?"_

"Keep an eye out for Mr. I-Don't-Give-a-Shit and Ms. Big-Pointy-and-Overprotective, m'kay?"

_"Revolver and Shuriken? __**Revolver**__ and Shuriken?"_

"Yup."

_"Verdot's gone mad, hasn't he."_

"I dunno 'bout that...look, gotta go, yo. Mr. President's getting antsy...just drop a call when ya see 'em, kay?"

_"Got it Red."_

"What was that about?" was the demand Reno got the minute the PHS snapped shut.

"Eh, apparently the restrooms here suck," Reno shrugged but didn't elaborate much further.

Cold blue eyes narrowed before an irritated sigh left the man's lips.

"Whatever."

"When Rod give's th' call we'll know tha' our back up's here an' we can go," Reno stated, more for the President's understanding than Gun's. With the receiving nod of acknowledgment Reno leaned against the wall beside Gun with a small sigh.

"So...they think there's a leak, eh?" Gun mumbled softly.

"Seems like it," Reno replied.

"This doesn't bode well..." Gun hunched her shoulders down with a slight sigh.

"I hear ya there," Reno sighed. "I got a bad feelin' 'bout all this, yo."

"Bad how?" Gun questioned, turning blue eyes on her partner. Reno slouched down and turned his gaze towards the ceiling.

"Very bad, yo," he replied almost dully. "Th' blow up in ya face an' kill ya bad..."

Gun cursed.

* * *

"Right, let's move quickly," Shuriken said the minute she stepped into the room with Revolver, Rod, and Rude. "We have a few guards outside the building keeping an eye out for any AVALANCHE members but that doesn't mean you are anywhere _near_ safe, sir."

"I understand," the President narrowed his eyes. "Let's just go."

"Ya heard the man, yo!"

Shifting the six Turks fell around the President, each tensed and ready to pull out their weapon in a moments notice.

* * *

"Oh Gaia what _now?_" Reno groaned as the power went out.

"This is turning out to be a lively day," Rod mumbled from beside him.

"Lively and dangerous," Gun hissed as Shuriken's PHS rang.

"Sir?" the red head questioned into the phone. "They what? Alright sir, Rod and I are on it." She snapped the phone shut and relayed, "Verdot said that there's a problem with the Mako generator-he suspects foul play but...there's no evidence otherwise. Rod and I are to investigate and get the thing back online. Revolver is to stay here if anything goes south."

"Go, we'll protect the President," Rude stated and with a sharp nod Shuriken grabbed Rod and they raced out of the room. The remaining four Turks shifted closer to the President, bodies tense.

They were so tense Reno almost attacked the video phone when it went off but he restrained himself last second. Wouldn't do to wreck the technology in front of the higher ups now, would it?

"Rufus? It has been a while..." the President murmured, staring at the image of his son.

"I've been keeping an eye on things, old man," Rufus stated, voice clipped and eyes like ice chips. "Looks like you've been having a very interesting day. Not too much for your old heart, I hope?"

"I'm fine Rufus," the President stated. "How is the third floor?"

"..." Rufus stared, eye twitching slightly.

"They still haven't fixed the fifth floor yet, then? Pity."

The screen went blank.

_'Well they certainly seem to get along well,'_ Reno thought dryly. _'Do I sense some volatile hostility that will result in death, destruction, and chaos? Why yes, yes I do...just what I really wanted to deal with on my off hours. A pissed off prankster Rufus who is at his wits end with his old man...given his old man ain't no peach...'_ the red head sighed.

"Reno, we've got problem," Gun spoke up.

"Huh?"

"Junon's canon's been taken. They're going to fire at Midgar!"

"Shit! Rude, you're with me!" Reno snapped out and the two raced from the room.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Gun mumbled.

"Because it's a bad thing?" the President replied.

"There is no time for your wit, sir," Revolver interrupted. "In fact it's very-" within seconds two guns where up and fired. A man fell to the ground, "-distracting."

"Fuck," Gun cursed as Revolver darted out into the hallway with a parting "I'll take care of the vermin"

"That one...where did he come from?" the President asked slowly.

"D-" Gun started and then jerked with a cry. She collapsed, unconscious.

The President whirled around, frightened.

"Why hello Mr. President..."

"Wh-Who-"

"Say good night..."

A shot rang out through the room and with a grin the assailant left the President lying on the floor, bleeding.

In Midgar Verdot cursed as all means of contact failed.

* * *

end chapter

_One more chapter to come. Rejoice._


	10. Interlude II

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU _

_**Planet's Eyes  
Interlude II**_

**Ignorant Lands: **_Hogwarts __**μ εyλ 1995, **__**September 1st**_

Dumbledore let out a mild groan as he buried his face into wrinkled old hands. The Ministry had so far covered up the fact that Harry Potter had gone missing, citing for the last school year that the boy had just run away. That year had ended in nothing but shambles; the planned Tri-Wizard Tournament became a disaster resulting in the almost-death of one Cedric Diggory and the return of Voldemort.

Simple to say Dumbledore did not have a good year.

The Diggory's, almost directly after the Final Task of the Tournament uprooted themselves, pulling their comatose son from St. Mungoes and fleeing the country. Dumbledore lost a lot of political clout directly after that incident.

Fudge himself was making it ever so hard for the old man to get through his day to day life.

Given the disaster of the Tri-Wizard Tournament Dumbledore would probably doing much the same if he were in Fudge's position, an admittance that the elder man truly disliked.

"How far I have fallen," he murmured weakly, thinking back over the year.

It had started off fairly well; at least until Arthur had floo'd him with concerns over young Harry. He had cited that the Owls refused to take the boy Post. Dumbledore had assured the Weasley Patriarch as best he could but it didn't do any good. In the end the Weasley's were all uprooted, followed by the Granger's. Thing is Dumbledore couldn't even figure out where they left to.

He blamed Charlie and Bill Weasley; those two were too smart during their Hogwarts years, and their employment afterward only proved how ingenious they were. The Weasley's ironically also made up his entire support base in a way.

However the lack of reaction via Owls didn't deter Dumbledore's belief in Harry living; the Goblins still refused him access to the Potter Vaults. That was a sure sign the boy was alive although no one but Dumbledore seemed to think so-and considering how crappy his reputation was getting and how Fudge both loved and loathed him it wasn't any surprise, really.

It was through Dumbledore's hope though that the Tri-Wizard Tournament would bring Harry back to them-after all, it was a dangerous tournament and Dumbledore was sure that one of Voldemort's Death Eater's would put the boy's name in.

And one did; Barty Crouch Jr. Boy was Dumbledore smarting after _that _revelation. The fact that a convicted and believed dead felon was wandering around polyjuiced as one of his old friends and he never even noticed-! Yes, Dumbledore had a bruised ego for months afterward.

Still, when Harry's name came out of the Goblet it was another tick in the knowledge that the boy was alive-and the binding contract would ensure he'd have to compete or lose his magic! It had been through all the papers, Dumbledore hoping to lure the boy back with the knowledge of the loss of his magic but...the boy never showed up. If Harry were still alive somewhere he'd be nothing more than a squib now.

All that planning and for what! A squib!

Yes, Dumbledore was having a very bad year.

Then, after the knowledge of Voldemort's return the aged man decided to call back the Order of the Phoenix. Alastor Moody joined up almost immediately, however Headquarters was soon contrived as Abeforth Dumbledore's bar/inn, the Hogs Head and even that came at a price! Albus was forced to smuggle his brother goats for the ability to use his bar. Never underestimate the vindictiveness of a scorned younger brother, one who also is over a hundred years of age and knowledge.

The reason for the change of Headquaters was another drawback: the missing presence of Sirius Black. That resulted in an upset and furious werewolf Remus Lupin who promptly disappeared by August shortly thereafter. Honestly, how was the aged Headmaster supposed to know that the young were had been dating Black before his incarceration? Let alone the hope to repair old relationships!

Now though it was September 1st; a school year since Harry had gone missing had passed (and the missing presence of Sirius seemed only to fuel Dumbledore's belief that the boy was alive...although now a squib) and Dumbledore found himself in yet another quandary.

Dolores Jane Umbridge.

The aged man wanted nothing more to waltz up to the Ministry and strangle Fudge for all his posturing and interfering. Just because he had a hard time finding a Defense teacher didn't mean the man had to butt in and provide one! The toady witch was the worst sort of witch Dumbledore wanted hired anyway!

Then again he hoped to use her as a ploy to get Harry back into Wizarding Britian, even if the brat was a squib now. The prophecy fell to the boy's shoulders after all-best send him to his death if only so that Voldemort would be mortal and defeatable afterward!

No, Dumbledore was not having a good year, and he blamed Harry Potter for it all.

* * *

**Ignorant Lands: **_Cairo, Egypt, __**μ εyλ 1995, September 1st**_

"Take care Hermione!" Emma Granger said, hugging her daughter tightly. She released the young girl only to be swallowed up in a hug by Dan Granger, and the Molly Weasley, and then Arthur Weasley.

"I will mum, dad!" Hermione replied. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," she nodded to the Weasley parents, before heading off to the train with Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George. Percy stood back with his elder brothers, parents, Remus Lupin, the Diggory's (who were seeing their still recovering son off), and the Grangers.

The last year in Egypt had done wonders for both the Granger and Weasley family. Emma and Dan Granger had built up a practice that catered to both Magical and non-Magical clientele, Bill helped pay for his family's new home until Arthur had gotten a stable job working alongside Dan and Emma (quite happily too) as their secretary/magical liaison. Charlie had moved over to the Egyptian Dragon Reserve instead of the Romanian one.

It was at the end of the year, after the children had returned from attending _Ammon Tale: School of Egyptian Sorcery and Magecraft_, that the Diggory's had shown up with a comatose Cedric placed at the _House of Healing_ the local wizarding Hospital. Cedric had woken up about a month later, and a little under four weeks ago Remus Lupin showed up.

Suffice to say life had steadily gotten better for the soon to be formerly British Citizens (by the end of 1996 at the latest the Weasley's, Diggory's, Granger's, and Remus Lupin will have applied for Egyptian citizenship) shortly after they had moved to Egypt. In fact Molly and Arthur, along with Dan and Emma, were thinking of trying for another child (meaning that by the time the year 1996 rolled around the Weasley brood may have another child amongst them and Hermione may receive a younger sibling herself) while the Diggory's were slowly beginning to toss the idea around themselves.

Yes, things had begun to definitely look up.

* * *

_Omake: The Arrival of Hedwig_

"Shit this ain't goin' good, yo," Reno gasped, clutching his side. "Got no restore materia either...fuck."

"Sir?" the blond grunt questioned from beside the Doctor's crumpled form.

"Now ain't the time, choc'bo!" Reno snapped, raising his EMR. A jolt shot through the AVALANCHE member that got too close. "Dammit where's Shotgun when ya need 'er?"

"Sir?"

"Shu' up, yo!" another AVALANCHE member fell.

"Sir there's too many-"

"Listen ta m'choc'bo!" Reno growled, his accent steadily getting worse. "Ge' 'er," he jerked his head towards the Doctor, "an' ge' th' _fuck_ outta 'ere!"

"But-"

Several hours later a tired Reno lay nearly collapsed next to an exhausted Cloud Strife (Chocobo) and weakened Doctor Rayleigh, severely upset at the loss of the disc and completely ignoring the Doctor's platitudes that it was fine because of some security lock. However all and every internal rambling and cursing was brought to a halt when a loud screech sounded. Reno shot to his feet just in time to see Shotgun flip up to their little hidden corner.

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow in Reno's direction.

"Trouble?" she asked.

"Ya try dealin' wi' thos' freaks o' nat're, yo!" Reno snapped. "Whe'e ya been, b'tch!"

"Oh shut up," Shotgun rolled her eyes. "I've been trying to console Verdot over you hanging up! Now the disc?"

"I's been ta-" Reno was interrupted by another screech, causing all three warriors to raise their weapons. However a snowy white owl wasn't what they were expecting, neither was the disc that had been taken to be dropped into Reno's lap.

"Th' fuck?" the red head muttered only to jerk when the snowy owl bit his ear. "Ow! What th' 'ell! Damn bird! SHIT! STOP IT!" he jerked, trying to get away from the furious owl, bating his hands up in the air. "Dammit ya like 'edwig whe' sh's-" Reno stilled and stared at the huffing and rather smug owl. "'Edwig?" he questioned, gaining a hoot. Reno laughed nervously at the glare said owl gave a second later. "Sorry?" was the meek offer.

Hedwig attacked.

"SHIT! OW! DAMMIT GIRL FORGIVE M'YO! FUCK!"

_'Note to self, never piss of Hedwig again; she's vindictive and holds a mean grudge,'_ Reno thought several hours later as he tried to explain the snowy owl on his shoulder and the various scratches and bite marks that now marred his face and hands to Verdot.

The man just wasn't buying the 'I found her injured by this little chocobo and she was too cute to leave behind and then these giant wolves attacked only to be stopped by the chocobo' story.

Shotgun laughing behind him wasn't any help either. Especially since the disc Hedwig had given him turned out to be a fake and the real one stolen months back; or at least that's what Nunchaku had said when he checked it before they _would_ have handed it back to Shinra. They instead destroyed the damn thing and pretended it got stolen as it already was anyway.

Reno swore he'd get payback-maybe he'd prank Zack for not mentioning how cute Cloud was. After all, the cute little 'chocobo' was the only plus side of that whole mission.

That and Hedwig.

* * *

_And thus Hedwig returns XD And yes, you guys got three chapters. Yay! Please be happy and quite hating on me? *puppy dog eyes*_

_-TK_


	11. Choices

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

_**Planet's Eyes  
**__**Choices**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ 1998, Early Spring**_

Reno groaned softly to himself, leaning back against the chair as Hedwig snoozed upon her perch. Thankfully since Hedwig's rather untimely return into his life Reno was allowed to keep her around. Verdot found Hedwig rather useful once Reno explain all he could about who Hedwig was.

"_You're saying this is a messenger bird?"_

"_Sort of sir," Reno winced when Hedwig nipped his ear. "See I met this boy once in the slums, yo. He was dyin'. Asked me ta look after his owl; said she was helpful. Could find anyone s'long as she had a name. Never really saw th' owl till a few weeks later, yo. Sh' jus'...took off."_

"_Can find anyone?" Verdot arched an eyebrow, curious._

"_Sorta. Within reason, I think," Reno frowned, stroking Hedwig's feathers. "Point is sir she's pretty useful. Could deliver in-office messages and manila folders. Good at keepin' outta trouble too, yo. So can I keep her? Please?"_

_Verdot snorted and muttered, "I see no consequence, Reno. It's not like you've been spilling company secrets?"_

"_O' course not yo!" was the indignant reply._

Reno snorted and glanced at Hedwig out of the corner of his eye. He truly had missed her these past four, almost five years. His first ever friend had been, and will always be Hedwig.

* * *

Gun groaned softly to herself. She did not want to deal with Rufus. In fact she was dreading it, deeply, because of the blasted cold she had. Spending hours going over the backlogs for Verdot does take a toll on a person, and the fact that neither she nor Tseng had found _anything_ that would point to who the possible leak was, was getting on her nerves.

Then there was the suspicion placed upon them by the Shinra President. He felt that the Turks division was hiding something from him. It was putting Verdot on edge even more and really? What put Verdot on edge put the whole department on edge.

"Damned leaks," Gun grumbled softly to herself as she made her way to the third floor. She almost ran right into Rufus who was coming out of the elevator.

"Watch where you are going," Rufus said sharply as he dodged around her.

Gun blinked for a moment before hastily calling out, "Wait! Sir!" Rufus paused and turned to look back at her with an arched eyebrow. "What are you doing on this floor, sir? If I may ask?"

"I am visiting someone, of course," Rufus pointed out plainly.

"Who?" Gun questioned, curious.

"Does it matter?" Rufus demanded, almost placing his hands on his hips.

"Er, no, just...I'm your guard for the evening, sir."

"Fine. Reno," the Vice President bit out and turned sharply on heel, heading in the direction of Reno's shared office space.

Gun stared after him, surprised. "Reno...?"

* * *

Reno had to admit he was surprised with Rufus entered his office and proceeded to plop down on his lap with a rather seductive pout.

"Uh, Ruffie?" he asked, voice a bit dry as Rufus bent closer to him.

"Reno..." Rufus drawled out slowly and Reno had to wet his lips; they were getting dry.

"Yes?"

"Dinner at eight?" the Vice President asked although it sounded more like a demand, not that Reno truly noticed trying to stop a certain reaction from becoming prominent as Rufus lazily trailed a hand around his clothed chest, lips a bit to close to his neck and soft blue's appearing so pleading-

"Yes sir," Reno forced himself to get out, swallowing heavily.

Rufus instantly got up off of the slightly older teen's lap and said cheerfully, "Great! Pick me up by my office!" before disappearing out the door. Seconds later Gun poked her head in.

"Reno have you seen Rufus?" she asked and then paused at Reno's rather flushed and dazed look. "Uhm, Reno?"

Reno seemed to visibly snap out of his daze and asked quickly, "Where's a good place to eat dinner at?" while standing and shoving things into his work pack quickly, startling Hedwig awake from her perch.

"Well Romino's down the street is-"

"Thanks!" Reno replied cheerfully, darting out the room. Gun had to duck as Hedwig flew after him.

"What...just happened?" she murmured, utterly confused.

"Rufus finally got the balls to ask Red out," Rod uttered from his desk corner, lazily raising his head to stare at the rather floored Gun.

"Uh, what?"

Rod just rolled his eyes and proceeded to fall back asleep, leaving Gun wondering when the world went into crazy land and where was she when it happened?

* * *

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ 1998, June**_

Reno could only watch in horror at what was happening before his eyes. His world was slowly crashing down at his feet, and he didn't know how or when it had started doing so. The Turks had quite quickly become his family, with Verdot being his rather strange father-like figure.

Now, however, their inability to find the leak responsible was apparently ruining everything good in Reno's life. Verdot was being fired; well moved but to those in the Turks that was the equivalent of a firing. One can't just _stop_ being a Turk, and that's what the President was doing.

Reno had wanted, terribly, to get Rufus to change his father's mind but he held himself back. Creating a further strain upon the two was not something he wished to cause, and to even appear as more than an employee before the President? Pure suicide. So Reno kept his mouth shut and watched the proceedings with barely concealed horror.

He headed down into the slums the minute he had a chance at freedom. He needed advice, and this time Grim was the only one who could give it.

* * *

"Pads? Pads are ya here?" Reno yelled, entering the alcove. He was worried, terrified, panicking...lord what could he do?

"Shu' ya trap, Red!" was the raspy reply and Reno sighed in pure relief.

"Oh thank Gaia I was worried, yo!" Reno sighed and quickly buried himself in his only remaining parental figure's chest.

"...Red?"

Reno didn't speak; he just let the silent tears fall.

* * *

It was two weeks of pure paperwork styled hell that Reno went through. Tseng was appointed Verdot's temporary replacement until they could clear Verdot's name. However almost all the members of the department felt as if it would never happen. Despite this fear Reno buried himself into paperwork and going through all the backlogs of every department.

Rod was genuinely getting worried for Reno's health however every time he asked Reno shut him out. So Rod decided to help him as much as he could, bringing by coffee and sweet sugary things.

Occasionally Rufus would drop by for a second but he'd leave just as quickly. More often then not Reno was seen dropping by Rufus' office a few hours after that. One usually left more mussed than the other those days.

However Reno felt that his pursuits of the backlogs were turning up some importance. What he was seeing though made his gut feel like lead. He didn't like what everything was turning out to implying, he didn't like it all.

The minute he found solid proof Reno went pale as a ghost, deleted the document, and left the room.

No one was witness to the strange encounter.

* * *

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!" Reno roared as he slammed Rufus against the wall. The blond Vice President was staring wide eyed at the slightly older, slightly taller male.

"R-Reno?"

"OF ALL THE IDIOTIC THINGS TO DO!" Reno shoved Rufus against the wall again, green eyes furious.

"Wh-What are you t-talking about?"

Reno snarled and stepped back, dropping Rufus as he did so. Rufus sat on the ground, back against the wall. Reno stared down coldly at the blond, eyes narrowed in rage. "After all that he has done for you, this is how you repay him?"

"Wh-Who?" Rufus asked, trembling.

"Verdot would be ashamed, Rufus," Reno bit out, turned on heel, and left the room. He couldn't be in the traitorous little pompous brat's presence any longer.

Rufus watched him leave, confused.

* * *

"That _brat!_" Reno snarled, slamming his fist into the wall, teeth grinding in anger. He hunched his shoulders tightly, head bowed. Letting out another growl of anger Reno punched at the wall again, fighting tears back. What should he do, what should he _do?_

Eventually he just stood there, still as can be, eyes and gaze distant. It was in this position that Gun found him.

"Reno...?" she asked and Reno let out a bitter laugh, raising his gaze towards her.

"Hah, Gun..." he murmured, turning his gaze away. Gun frowned. "Wha' w'ld ya do if'n ya 'new som'thi' tha' cu'd c'nd'mn a pers'n, bu' save 'noth'r, yo?" he questioned, refusing to look at her.

Gun tilted her head and replied, "That depends on the type of information...?"

"Th' c'nd'mn'd w'ld b'sec'ted, yo," Reno bit out sharply. Gun's eyes widened.

"And you know such type of information?"

Reno glared at her. "Wh'n di' I s'an'thin' o' th' sor'?" he snapped out. Gun's eyes narrowed.

"Does it have to do with Verdot or AVALANCHE or even the leak, Reno?" Gun demanded.

"S'not wha' I s'was askin' s'was i'?" Reno parried.

"I would tell," Gun snapped.

"S'wh'r th' dif'ren' eh?" Reno chuckled bitterly. "We do s'm'ch; kill an' b' th' b'dg'ys. Murd'r an' ass'nate-'ven th's we luv, yo. Bu' c'n ya tr'ly tell if'n i' w're Laney?"

Gun almost paled before saying, "Reno you know what we do to traitors. Are you willing to risk that?"

"Bet'r cuff m'Gun," Reno bit out. "S'b'st b'fore I 'side ta leav', yo."

Gun worried her lip for a minute, staring at Reno and then shaking her head, "You won't tell me?" she asked, almost pleading. Reno turned away and Gun pulled out her handcuff's, hardening her heart. "Fine then, Reno, if that's what you want."

"S'not wha' I sa'd, yo," Reno muttered, but didn't fight as Gun pulled his hands back and bound his wrists tight.

* * *

Tseng stared at Gun as she explained what happened in the hall with a cool efficiency, Reno still being held tightly in her grasp, his head bowed in a strange form of acquiescence that Tseng had never seen on his face before.

"Reno this will all be forgotten if you just tell us what you know," Tseng uttered once Gun had finished explaining.

"S'not m'place ta t'll, yo," he muttered, gazing anywhere but at the duo.

Tseng briefly frowned before nodding, "Very well then. Gun, take him to Holding Room B. I have to talk with the President."

Gun glanced at Tseng and asked, softly, "Are we really..."

"Reno has declared his allegiances in this instant clear enough; he sides with the traitor who is leaking information. Therefore he is a traitor himself and will be treated as such. One with valuable information."

Gun nodded her head and pulled Reno along. Tseng sighed. These weeks had just gotten worse, but at least Reno was giving him a clue. Even unknowingly.

"Rude!"

"Yes sir?"

"Figure out where Reno's been and what he's been up to. Also look over every backlog he's been reading. I want to know what he knows; now I have to get Verdot back..."

"Yes sir."

* * *

"Reno? Gun what are you doing?"

Gun glanced at Rod and shook her head, uttering, "He's made his choice Rod."

The door slammed shut, locking Reno inside.

'_Stupid, stupid brat...'_

* * *

end chapter

_**Author's Corner**_

_So you may have thought this chapter was a bit forced. In all actuality it was. Why? Well I had this scene planned for the longest time, but idiot me didn't write it out when I had the inspiration running through my head, unlike a few other scenes for much farther in the story._

_So here I am with writers block, trying to get these scene out of me head onto paper. How did it end? Very forced in my opinion, but even now I can't figure out how to change it, even with the writer's block gone._

_However fully expect a flashback from Rufus' almost POV in...either two chapters or something. I'll probably elaborate more on the Reno screaming match there._

_Anyway it is at this point that the formerly mostly light hearted bits of this fic shall fall away and the darker aspects will come forth. If this upsets you, I'm sorry, but I __**have**__ been forshadowing this for some time._

_Also this story deviates from Before Crisis here as well; originally no character discovers this secret until after the Nibelheim clean up, in which all survivors of Sephiroth going nuts become Hojo's test subjects alongside Zack and Cloud. You see Verdot's darker side there, but I'm introducing the darker Verdot and darker side of the Turks early._

_I have my reasons why Reno has done what he's done here._

_Anyway I would like to thank all of my lovely reviewers: __**Haru Inuzuka, Firehedgehog, astrakage, Red Jeanie, xXxOtAkU-444xXx, skyflyte12, Fox Loves Shinigami, Skreech, -Yuna's Reincarnation-1, Greg: Me Myself and I, Sliver of Melody, Shivera, Momonster, RoxasIsReal13**_

_Thank you all for an in total of 15 reviews for the last three chapters. It makes bme truly happy. On the plus side my inspiration for this story has finally come back! After forcing out one chapter things seem to be looking up; over a year I do believe of haitus and now you will hopefully be getting updates a bit more regularly for this fic soon. Chapter 12 is finished I just have to toss a few scenes at my lovely muses/idea boards to see what they think before posting._

_Which goes to the thanks for this chapter. I wish to thank __**Blue24601 **__and __**FranceSama **__from YouTube for helping me by looking over a few scenes and telling me what they thought of them._

_-TK_


	12. Pain

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

_**Planet's Eyes  
**__**Pain**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ 1998, June**_

Verdot stepped into Holding Room B, half afraid that Tseng and the other Turks had pulled one over the President's head on a whim to get him back into duty. Upon seeing Reno staring at the wall, gaze blank, Verdot had to reassess his thoughts.

Maybe they were going traitor against one of their own just for him...?

"Tseng tells me you know something pertaining to the leak," Verdot murmured, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"S'no' 'nieth'n s'I tol' 'im, yo," Reno replied, looking at Verdot out of the corner of his eye. Verdot's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean, Reno?"

"S'I ne'er sa'd tha' I 'no som'thin', yo," Reno shrugged.

"You implied?"

"Di' I say tha'?" Reno turned fully to stare at Verdot now, green eyes appearing dull but Verdot could see the fire within.

Verdot sighed, "Reno you know what interrogation is like amongst the Turks. Do you truly wish to face that?"

"S'no' m'choice s'is i'?" Reno's gaze was challenging him, Verdot could tell.

He left the room.

"Sir?" Tseng questioned to his superior, noting the tense form.

"We have all of Reno's habits on file, yes?" Verdot quarried, stepping away from the door and starting down the hallway. Tseng matched his pace as he answered.

"Yes sir."

"Even the one concerning his slang-use?" Verdot demanded and Tseng frowned but nodded. When Verdot glanced at him he elaborated.

"Gun added it after she realized what it meant," he agreed. Verdot turned his gaze away from Tseng.

"Take Reno to Interrogation Room A; also from this point onward anyone who has had substantial contact with Reno is to be denied any contact at all."

"Sir?"

"This means yourself, Gun, Rod, even Rufus," Verdot continued.

"Sir?"

"From this time onward Reno is none of your concern; get Rude to move him and have the room prepared for an interrogation in one hour."

"But Sir?"

"I'll be dealing with this myself, is that understood, Tseng?" Verdot turned sharply and gave Tseng his best glare. Tseng reluctantly nodded. "Good, now go!"

"Yes sir."

* * *

"S'wha' now, b'g guy?" Reno questioned as Rude dragged him through the halls. "S'wh'r ya takin' lil' ol' m'yo?"

"Be quiet or I will gag you," Rude uttered and Reno rolled his eyes.

"Sure, wha'e'er ya say, yo," he shrugged and instantly quited. They were in the interrogation sub floor anyway. Reno knew where they were going now.

It was in silence that Rude pulled him to Interrogation Room A, swiping his card through the slot. He dragged Reno over to the chair and sat him down, quickly tying his hands to the chair, leaving the cuff's on even after the bindings were tight.

"S're'ly 'ncomf'table, yo," Reno muttered as Rude fastened off his legs to the chair. He grabbed Reno's hair tightly, forcing the red head to grimace slightly, and even bound that back making it so Reno was staring at the door but still had a good view of all the instruments in his peripheral.

Then Rude double checked all the bindings before stepping back out of the room and shutting the door.

Reno closed his eyes and tried to relax his mind, knowing what would be happening soon enough.

* * *

Grim tightened his grip on Aerith's shoulder when the young Cetra gasped suddenly, tears springing into her closed eyes.

"The Planet...is crying?" she breathed, opening luminescent green orbs to stare up at Grim's grey ones questioningly. Her breath hitched when she saw the unshed tears in his eyes as he nodded his head. "Grim...?"

"D'ya 'no why sh' cri's, Turk?" Grim questioned in response, turning his gaze from Aerith to the shadows. Tseng stepped out, staring at the taller and older male coolly.

"I cannot communicate with her as you do, Cetra. Enlighten me."

"B'ca'se on' o' 'er chil'ren 's'in pain."

* * *

Reno swallowed heavily when he saw Verdot enter the room in a darker than normal suit, gloves on his hands and face stern.

"You have been asked, multiple times, to tell us what you know," Verdot stated as the door shut behind. He moved along the metal table, one hand gently running along its surface. "Each time you have denied us the information." Verdot sat down on the edge before Reno, staring into his green orbs. He reached out and grasped the teens chin tightly. "You know that we were being lenient, yes?"

Reno didn't speak and Verdot let go of the boys chin, eyes narrowing.

"You've been so quiet and compliant Reno," Verdot murmured, standing and moving away from him. "It really makes me wonder what is so important that you would give yourself up like this, and yet not tell us." He picked up instrument after instrument, examining each one carefully before setting them on the table before the red head. "I wonder if it will truly all be worth it in the end?"

Verdot laid out three more instruments before the red head, making a total of six on the table not including the EMR in his hand.

"Let us begin, shall we?"

There was a crackle of electricity as the EMR turned on, and then a scream as it touched flesh.

* * *

Suddenly within the church Aerith jerked and let out an almost soundless scream. Grim instantly grabbed her, held her close, and murmured something into her ear. She collapsed unconscious.

"What did you do?" Tseng demanded, moving forward but Grim pulled Aerith away from his reach and gently laid her down on the flowers.

"Put th' flo'er girl ta sle'p," Grim murmured. "Th' scr'ms 'r' ta m'ch fer 'er." Tseng frowned.

"Screams?" he questioned, glancing at the tender way Grim settled Aerith down.

"Gaia," Grim murmured. "Sh' scr'ms fer 'im. 'is pain, 'is choice..." The elder shook his head. "Stupid boy."

Tseng just frowned, confused.

* * *

Reno felt his limbs go limp the minute the EMR was pulled away from his skin. He let an almost silent curse fall from his lips, breathing heavily. Verdot caught it and let out a rather dark chuckle.

"Too much?" he questioned. Reno snorted.

"No' 'nuff, yo," he snarked heavily back. Verdot scowled and jolted the teen again, only quick enough to cause Reno to yelp and tense, but not enough to scream.

"Then maybe an EMR is too simple for you," he stated and Reno just glared. "Considering you talk back but not about that which we want to know. Stupid boy."

* * *

"I'm afraid I do not understand," Tseng uttered after a while.

"S'tha' all ya se'k, Turk?" Grim questioned, looking at the younger man out of the corner of his eyes, lips quirked. "'nd'rst'ndin'?"

Tseng's brow furrowed, "What do you mean, Cetra?"

"S'jus' tha' if'n ya'r se'kin' 'nd'rst'ndin' th'n ya'r af tra'k," Grim's quirk of his lips grew larger. "'m no' Cetra."

Tseng blinked, and replied, "But you hear the Planet?"

"'nie'n can 'ear 'er if'n th' lis'en," the quirk was almost a full blown grin. "Bu' no, m'no' Cetra. 'm'Anchor."

"Anchor...?"

Grim's grin widened to almost proportionally impossible lengths as he stated, leering, "'n'Anchor s'a pers'n tha' anchor's th' Cetra. St'p th' 'ces 'rom driv'n 'em _in_sane."

"_What?_" Tseng's eyes widened at that. "But-why has there been no documen-"

"Cuz a' Anchor s'no' _common_ boy! S'we'r _sp'cial._ S'we'r a're'dy _damaged goods_ brat."

Tseng was thoroughly confused now as he murmured, "Damaged goods _how?_"

Girm fully turned towards the Turk, his grin stretching entirely across his face and his eyes lit up in a strangely almost unholy light as he asked, "Wanna see?"

Tseng could only stare as the older man pulled off his shirt and revealed a heavily scarred torso.

* * *

Reno couldn't say that Verdot didn't know how to torture a person. He knew how to do so and _more_. Verdot found almost every one of his tell spots and exerted that knowledge for all that he was worth.

Now he stood off to the side washing the knife in the small sink, the water stained red from the blood. Reno was bent over in the chair, still bleeding and breathing heavily green eyes wide and hair a disheveled mess mingling with the open cuts. A few strands had ripped from his scalp in the brief struggles of pain he'd displayed.

Verdot glanced at Reno from the corner of his eye and said, "Sadly we did not have a productive evening, Reno. I feel sorry for that; truly I wish not to have you suffer more than necessary but this refusal to talk makes this...nasty business impossible to avoid. You understand?"

"Heh," Reno gasped out, "I did'n ev'n bre'k'a swe't, yo." It was true; despite Verdot's best efforts all Reno had done was howl, but not even that much. He didn't even try to pull away, and what little struggles he had displayed weren't enough to cause any sort of exertion. It was almost an insult.

"Truly the physical aspects mean nothing then?" Verdot quarried, raising an eyebrow as he dried the knife off. He moved over and sat on the table before Reno, ignoring the drying blood around him. He bent his head down to look into the red head's green eyes, searching. "Or do you _like_ it?" He raised the knife against Reno's cheek, tenderly dragging it along the flesh. Reno didn't even flinch. "Such a _slut_; would you get off sucking me I wonder, or would that be torturous enough...?"

Reno couldn't control the reaction to those words; his lips curled up in a snarl as an almost guttural sound rose from his throat. In response Verdot smirked.

"Oh you didn't think we knew, brat?" he questioned, humor lacing his tone. "How much you actually went _down_ for it? Silly, silly, traitorous boy. We're the _Turks_, of course we knew!" The last word was punctuated by Verdot slicing into Reno's cheek, far enough to hit the bone. He would forever have a scar beneath his left eye now.

Reno _howled._

Verdot stood and murmured, "Unfortunately this session is over. You'll be healed but not with a restore materia. Sad to say but prisoner's get the barbaric treatment of being hand bandaged; after all we want you to live but not be up to par, now don't we?"

The Turk leader set the knife down and turned to leave, pausing only to add, "Maybe tomorrow I'll test your fellatio skills and see how good you are for _myself_."

The door closed on Reno's animalistic howls of rage.

* * *

_**Onward to the Author's Note!**_

_So I've introduced Verdot's darkside here. Yup, __**Verdot's**__ darkside. As in the part of Verdot that willingly took survivors from Nibelheim and gave them to Hojo to experiment on. Or the Verdot that killed his own family except his daughter._

_This is where the story truly begins its darker descent. And the comments on Reno being a slut? Yes, those are true too for this story. Reno had to have a vice somewhere, and personally I think it makes his character a bit __**more**__ interesting to play with. After all the abuse he's suffered you don't think he'd take something that could give him bodily pleasure and exploit it?_

_You also don't think he might end up __**liking **__the pain?_

_You may also have noticed Tseng and Grim's speaking to each other. This is something that I didn't show happen, mostly as we've actually had a bit of a timeskip two chapters back. Remember when old man Shinra was alone and his guards unconscious?_

_Yeah, well between that and Verdot's reassignment some things had happened. Things I __**will**__ be touching upon a bit more. Like where Reno turned to liking Rufus more than just a prankster buddy, and where Rufus realized the same (leading to the asking of the out...) or even if Reno knows Cloud any better than what I've briefly shown (this should be obvious)_

_So there is quite a bit that happened, but I haven't shown it for reasons you don't get to know quite yet. You will all learn about it soon though. In the upcoming chapters hopefully. Anyway I hope you all have enjoyed! Just a quick note to my anonymous reviewers:_

_**Rekki - **__Oh luv, if you want I can put up an e-mailing list for everyone who is an Anon reviewer so that you can know, like our Signed reviewers, when the story is updated? I'm sorry for the lack of a timely update. Truly._

_Yes, acting protective tends not to do Reno god and I do not abandon stories! If they are torn down then they might be abandoned, __**might**__. But if they remain up it means I haven't abandoned them yet._

_Oh yes, I can't kill Cedric. I __**like**__ Cedric. Edward Cullen on the other hand...AHEM! Going on from murderous thoughts of a sparkly gay-ass vampire...Reno isn't a squib. Just so you know. And yes, Reno/Harry did miss his faithful own Hedwig. Who wouldn't miss the mother-henning white fluff ball? Or is feather ball more appropriate...? Meh._

_And yes, finally the plot begins to thicken. And you are entirely right, again, that Reno acting protective really does him no good in the end. Unless he really gets off on the pain. That's a debatable question currently._

_I can't wait for yet another review from you, Rekki! You always make my days shine._

_**Right!**__ That's it everyone! Ta!_

_-TK  
__Twin Kats_


	13. Interim

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

_**Planet's Eyes  
**__**Interim**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ 1998, Fall**_

Grim groaned softly, stretching aching limbs as he glanced at Aerith's sleeping face amongst the flowers. Gaia's screaming hadn't gotten any easier to bear over the months since it had first started and Grim felt rather bad for the girl. She could hardly sleep in her own home without waking to the nightmares brought on by Gaia's pain.

He was half-wanting to go up to Elmyra and offer to let Aerith spend the nights in his "humble abode" where the screams of a pained Planet wouldn't reach her. Still the flower girl had since promised him that she'd be fine as long as she could nap amongst her flowers.

"Again?" Tseng murmured from the doorway, eyeing the slumbering child. Grim grunted a response. "This is getting ridiculous," Tseng sighed, shaking his head.

"Sh's angry," Grim shrugged. "Angry tha' 'e cho's i'. Angry tha' sh' can' d'niethin' ta 'elp. Angry tha' 'do' won' stop."

"Verdot doesn't have a choice," Tseng uttered, dark gaze distant. "It's not like Reno gave any of us much of one."

"Heh, stub'rn Red," Grim sighed. Tseng shifted in the doorway slightly, eyes darting over to Grim's rather dingy form.

"You act like you know him well," the Turk uttered, gently prompting.

"Tol' ya, tha' don' work'n m'yo," Grim stated, gray-blue eyes pinning Tseng. The Turk almost flinched and muttered a quick, "I apologize," mind already darting back to the first time Grim had said so.

* * *

"_Flo'er girl 'nuff fer t'day."_

"_But Grim I just-"_

"_No; ya tir'd an' tha's a'way's bad fer this, yo."_

_Tseng frowned slightly from outside the church. This was quite literally the first time he'd heard any conversation with Aerith go on inside her getaway, and considering the last time he had arrived...well Tseng was concerned. Aerith had been primarily his responsibility, something Verdot refused to let him forget._

_Not that he really minded looking after the child and her uncannily knowing green eyes. Her purity drew him in to be honest; protecting her and the unknowing secrets she held was something Tseng didn't mind doing. As long as he could, occasionally, be around that purity and not be judged._

"_Fine," he heard Aerith grumble. "How have you been? You're getting along okay, right? 'Di hasn't been giving you any trouble since-"_

"_Wa'ch'r's back, yo."_

_All conversation quieted instantly and Tseng's frown deepened. Worried he quickened his steps and entered the church to see Aerith staring at the doors expectantly. She pouted and turned on the grim-looking man who stood a ways a way by the wall._

"_You made me worried! It's just __**Tseng**__ Grim!"_

_Grey-blue eyes seemed to pierce him and Tseng fought the sudden urge to step back; never before had someone made him feel so...insignificant! Brushing aside the feeling Tseng quickly stepped forward, glancing between the man and Aerith quickly._

"_Aerith?" he questioned. "Who is this?" He tried not to flash back to when Aerith collapsed screaming and this man was darting away._

_Of course next thing he knew he was doubled over grasping his stomach in pain with a leering face staring down at him._

"_This," the man cajoled, "s'Grim. An Grim don' like ya doin' tha, yo."_

"_**Grim**__!" Aerith snapped out, bending down beside Tseng and gently pushing him into a sitting position. "Be nice!"_

"_Heh, fer ya flo'er girl, 'niethin' yo," was the mumbled response. "An' 'e want'd ta 'no 'bout las' time, yo."_

_Aerith didn't even look up as she frowned and quarried, "Last time?"_

"_Th' disc'nection," Grim bit out and Tseng could see his face tighten, almost pained. The grizzled man walked back towards the wall and slumped against it._

"_Oh..." Aerith paused in her perusal to give Tseng an odd look before saying, "So that's why you left so suddenly?" Grim seemed to shrug and Tseng was left wondering just what was going on?_

"_Heh, don' ya ge' i' Turk?" Grim spoke up and Tseng's head jerked back towards him. "'M'er teach'r yo! Now stop sittin' th'r dumb an' st'nd uh'yo!"_

_Bristling in almost anger Tseng stood up, brushed off his suit, and glanced between Aerith and Grim once more before going to a discreet corner and settling down, not saying a word. He got the undertone's rather well, thank you very much._

_Grim was Cetra, Aerith his pupil, and Tseng just the outsider intruding in. __**Joy**__._

_

* * *

_

Since then Grim quit hiding from Tseng whenever he stopped by. Of course Tseng had politely excused any mention of Grim in his weekly reports to Verdot, Gaia only knows why. _He_ sure didn't. Granted it was useful, he supposed, as by keeping Grim secret he had learned a whole lot that previously left him ignorant.

Like the feeling he got around Aerith was simply because she really did radiate purity, and it was a natural response to one who had almost literally bathed in sin to wish to bask in that purity. It wasn't necessarily a Cetra thing. And then there was that Aerith couldn't _not_ commune with the Planet, and being around any type of growth-nature in general-helped ease the connection. Being near an open section of the lifestream doubly so, but that always had the risk of dangerous consequences.

It helped that Grim assuaged his fears on the man being after Aerith for her purity. It didn't help that he had done so by rather forcefully kissing Tseng. Aerith's catcalls really made him wonder just how pure the girl was. Then he'd remember she lived in the _slums_ and everything would make sense again. It was also a good thing that Grim held off on dropping the bombshell he had a few months back until Tseng knew the man a bit more. Well enough to know he'd never hurt Aerith at least. Otherwise Tseng was sure he would've tossed all pretenses aside and dragged Grim into custody.

As is it was nice to have someone to talk shop with; someone who understood the horrors and could help alleviate stress. Not that anything was going on between the wouldn't mind however if something _did_ start...but he doubted Grim would go for it anytime soon.

"Ya think'n loud 'gain, yo," Grim barked and Tseng jerked out of his thoughts.

"Sorry," was the mumbled response with a slight blush. Grim just let out another bark like laugh, quiet so as not to disturb the sleeping Cetra, and the two settled back into peaceful silence.

* * *

Reno sat on the corner of the dingy cot in his cell, starring at the barred door with a frown tugging at his lips. He ignored the stretching of the still healing eventual scar beneath his left eye. It's not like it was terribly painful. Really though he couldn't help but wonder just what was taking his fellow-former he had to remind himself; _former_-Turks to get the information they so highly sought. After all he knew his attempt to destroy and hide the evidence was a bit sloppy. Surely it would've raised a few red flags by now?

He was, after all, by no means an expert in hacking. Verdot at the least should've picked it up. The fact that he hadn't heard anything, nor was executed himself, was worrying. Truly Reno didn't care for the torture; Verdot could never compare to Vernon Dursley in sheer brutality after all and the _finesse_ of the torture Verdot employed, while effective in gifting pain, really wouldn't break him. Not soon at any rate.

Pain was Reno's gift after all; he'd had enough of it to have grown some sort of immunity over the years. Mind he really disliked the mental aspects Verdot had begun to implement more heavily the past week. Physical pain Reno knew how to do with; mental was another fact of life entirely. As much as Reno like to think expert on _pain_ and _torture_ bring in the mental aspects of it and he'd be left standing rather stupified. Or curled up in a ball somewhere, eventually.

Reno shifted on the bed slightly as his current position grew steadily more moved one arm to cover his still tender right side as it flared up; he forced back a wince and closed his eyes. A deep breath fell past his lips as he leaned his head back against the wall in an attempt to steady himself.

The red head knew that his own real saving grace right now was the fact that Verdot had kept the torture to the interrogation rooms and had not yet deemed it important enough to visit him in the cells. Despite the starvation efforts Reno knew that currently he wasn't in any real danger, and even with the starvation he wouldn't be in trouble unless they were able to discover his limit which at the rate they were going would be a _year_.

"Heh, mebbe I sh'ul' t'nk 'im, yo," Reno wheezed out softly and slowly felt himself relax into a slightly unsteady sleep, thinking of blond haired men.

* * *

"_Hey! Choc'bo!" Reno called and vaulted over the closest railing. He whistled slightly as he neared the Cadet. SOLDIER training grounds were __**huge**__!_

"_Don't call me that!" Cloud bristled, angry. Reno just laughed at him, shifting to lean against the wall with a devil-may-care grin falling across his lips._

"_Heh, s'why not, yo?" he questioned. "Ya look like one ta me!" Reno reached out to ruffle the cadet's hair but Cloud pushed his arm away, growling lowly. "Aw ain't 'e cute, Ruffie?"_

"_Quit annoying the cadet, Reno," Rufus Shinra sighed, walking up to the two from down the hallway. Cloud stiffened slightly at the visible presence of the Vice President. "And you can relax, cadet," the executive uttered to Cloud before turning back to Reno. "Now why did drag me down here, Reno?"_

"_Puppy-boy wanted ta plan somethin', yo! Said ta include choc'bo here," Reno grabbed onto Cloud's shoulder tightly, still grinning._

"_If it's against Sephiroth again I refuse," Rufus bit out as Zack bounded around the corner._

"_Aw but Ruffie that was fun!" Zack whined, sidling up to the younger man._

"_It was __**not**__ fun," Rufus scowled. "My old man almost __**died**__ from that, thank you. And I'm not exactly ready to take control of the company __**just**__ yet."_

_Worriedly Cloud tried to interrupt the trio, only for his actions all to be for naught as they turned towards him with devious grins._

"_Oh Cloud..." Zack sing-songed._

"_Do us a favor..." Reno joined in as Rufus smirked._

"_Please?" the Vice President finished with a leer._

_Cloud watched the exchange with wide, horrified eyes. Just what was he getting dragged into...?_

_

* * *

_

Reno awoke with a gasp and splutter, raising a now soaking head to see Verdot staring at him coldly.

"Thank you, Rude, you may leave," he uttered to the silent Turk. With a slight nod Rude left the room. "Have a nice nap, Reno?"

Reno felt his lip curl up as a snarl rose its way from the back of his throat. Verdot sat himself on the edge of the table yet again, smirk along his lips. He leaned forward, getting into Reno's personal space and smiled quite happily.

"Poor thing," he stated with a cheer to his tone, "sorry to say I had to interrupt, but really I'm not. Down to business, shall we?"

The chair Reno was sitting in cackled as electricity suddenly pumped through it. The red head didn't even have time to scream.

* * *

Rufus tried not to admit to himself that he was worried about Reno. Usually when Reno got angry at him for any reason and stormed off-a sadly somewhat often occurrence more recently-Rufus would be able to stop by his office a few hours later and then they'd talk and things would be good. However Reno hadn't been in his office whenever he went, and Rod wasn't very forthcoming with information on where the red head was. Any information Rufus had gleaned wasn't worth anything; his boyfriend-a novelty that Rufus really couldn't wrap his head around sometimes-was never at the assigned apartment. Every time Rufus checked there it appeared empty. There were no signs of him at work either.

At first the blond executive figured that Reno was just avoiding him but now, months later, he was afraid that Reno got into trouble. After all how could he have apparently just vanished like that? Especially after the horror that was the last time he even saw Reno.

* * *

"_Rufus we need ta talk, yo," Reno growled out, stepping into the room and shutting the door. He locked it quickly with a click and then proceeded over to the hidden wall panel and applied all lockdown procedures for the room swiftly._

_Needless to say Rufus was confused, but he didn't say anything besides to turn off his own computer and stare at Reno with a cool gaze._

"_About what?" the younger murmured once he was sure Reno had finished with all that he was attempting to do._

"_About ya funding a terrorist organization that wants nothing more than to kill off ya entire legacy," Reno snapped and Rufus froze. "Yes, I __**know**__ that you're the informant for AVALANCHE, Rufus."_

_Rufus swallowed heavily but kept his mask up as he replied, "How?"_

_Reno shrugged and leaned against the wall, green eyes sharply staying on Rufus' slightly stiffer form. He said, "Ya not perfect; ya leave tracks, yo. Took a while ta find 'em but I did."_

"_What do you want?"_

"_I want ta know if ya know what ya doin'. Ya playin' with fire, Rufus. It's not going ta end in rainbows and puppies, ya know!"_

"_Of course I do!" Rufus snapped. "Besides do you think I'd give them anything truly worthwhile?"_

_Reno laughed darkly and the hair on Rufus' arms stood up. This was a side he'd never met before, he was sure. So Rufus sat stiffly as furious green eyes burrowed into him while the lanky form of their owner stalked towards him, voice tightly controlled._

"_Anythin' worthwhile, yo?" Reno quarried. "Ya never fought 'em, Rufus. Ya never faced death in the eye and spat on it. I had four broken ribs after meetin' 'em, yo. __**Four**__. An those weren't able to b'ealed by a simple __**Cure**__. Then there's th' disc; ya gave 'em that too?"_

"_If I did?" Rufus bit back; Reno was getting too close._

"_Did ya know what it contained, Rufus?"_

_Blue eyes blinked once, confused, and suddenly Reno was towering before him. The blond swallowed heavily and shook his head, no longer trusting his voice. Reno grinned viciously, bearing his teeth as he reached out and grabbed Rufus by the hair._

"_It contained info 'bout SOLDIER, brat!"_

_Rufus forced himself to bite back a cry as he was yanked to his feet by his hair, Reno's green eyes almost glowing in anger._

"_An I was sent out to find a fake! __**A fake**__! Now...now ya better learn, Rufus, an learn quick. Fire __**burns**__ an playin' with it, like ya are, ya get hurt. __**Badly**__." Green eyes bored down into blue as the hand holding hair loosened and moved to grasp the younger's chin. "An I don' wan' ta see ya 'urt. At all, m'kay? So...so stop, Rufus, yo. Stop playin' this game; let it go."'_

"_I __**can't**__," Rufus snarled. Reno's grip tightened, silently asking __**why**__ Rufus couldn't just stop before it got too bad. "No matter the consequences, Reno," the executive continued, "I will gain control over this company when I'm good and ready. AVALANCHE is merely a tool to the means to do so."_

_Reno felt a snarl rise up once more as he hissed out, "Ya stupid __**fuck**__..."_

_The next thing Rufus could remember is his back slamming against the wall, Reno yelling at his face, and then Reno was gone and Rufus was confused._

* * *

Rufus buried his head into his hands, fingers curling into his scalp and his shoulders shook slightly. Tears welled up and fell as the young vice president cried softly. Reno was gone, and he knew it was his fault.

* * *

_**Onwards to the Author's Note!**_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter filled with flashback's. It's dubbed "Interim" because, well, this is stuff that has been going on underneath it all. There'll be more flashback chapters coming up, and more Reno torture scenes as well. After all Reno's going to be stuck there for close to two full on years._

_At lot of characters will be doing some growing up in that time frame. Relationships will progress and die...a lot of things will happen and a lot of memories will become apparent. So...enjoy!_

_Oh, and as a note...I found out something interesting. Reno is in Before Crisis (duh) but he's already made a really big name for himself so at this point he's been a Turk for a while. But what you __**don't**__ know is that Before Crisis takes place shortly before the War with Wutai, then during the War with Wutai, and after the Incident at Mt. Nibelheim. During the start of the War with Wutai though, and here's the kicker, Reno was __**ten years old**__._

_And he's a Turk._

_I thought that amazing, and rather funny, and that Square Enix needs to realize they have continuity errors XD_

_Incidentally if I were going canonical wise, Reno would be two years younger than Harry. Thank goodness I decided to shift dates and years around a bit. Otherwise this would never have worked, lol._

_Anyway moving on I want to thank all of my lovely reviewers, __**skyflyte12**__, __**xXxOtAkU-444xXx**__, __**Firehedgehog**__, __**-Yuna's Reincarnation-1**__, __**Haru Inuzuka**__, __**Fox Loves Shinigami**__, __**windmalee**__, __**SilverLightningBlade/Rekki**__._

_Thank you all for the wonderful reviews._

_**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS**_

_**Can you provide a translation for the slang?**_

_If you are having issues with the slang, leave me a note and I will send you a "translation" of it. However I suggest first sounding out the words because they truly are pretty much that which they sound like. If you are still having trouble leave me a PM or review and I'll send you a translation, okay? I've been doing this for some time. You just have to tell me where you are having trouble._

_**Is Reno a Squib?**_

_No. Reno's not a Squib._

_Any other FAQ will be answered here. I figured I'd add this in XD And any of you Anon. Readers, if you want to be kept up to date on the story drop and Anon. Review letting me know if you would join a mailing list for this story. Thank you~_

_TK  
__-Twin Kats_


	14. Zack

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

_**Planet's Eyes  
**__**Zack**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ 1998, Winter**_

Grim sighed, burrowing himself deeper into the ratty, yet warm, jacket as he hunkered down in a corner of Church. He wondered, briefly, how Aerith could stand the cold so well. Then he'd remember how much she was a beloved Cetra and mentally scoff in mild annoyance. Cetra get _everything_. At least, he felt, it was nice that the Planets' screaming had finally begun to die down.

A cranky Aerith was not what he wanted to deal with.

Grim shivered slightly, not from cold, and continued to watch his charge as she tended to her flowers humming a soft tune. Tseng was dozing off to his right and Grim's lips twitched. He looked rather peaceful, like that, with his eyes closed and his face slack.

"For once you are the one thinking loudly," Tseng murmured and Grim quickly jerked back, grey eyes widening. The Turk's lips upturned in a slight smirk as he opened one dark eye to pin the elder in amusement. Grim just huffed and curled back; he returned to watching the flower girl, slightly miffed.

Of course that was the time the ceiling decided to cave in around them.

* * *

Tseng coughed heavily as he got to his feet, Grim to his left quickly checking the stability of the cave-in and their current predicament. Waving his hand to clear away the sudden dust Tseng pulled out an electric torch and lit it up, turning to face Grim's scowling face.

"Well?" he questioned, moving the light to now observe their rather entrapped position.

"Stuck," Grim grunted, testing the stability. He jerked back as more debris from the ceiling started to crumble down. "S'bes no' ta dig 'ere," he added as an after thought. "Try callin' fer th' flo'er girl, yo."

Grimacing Tseng shifted to where he hope the pile was less thick and hollered out, "Aerith! Can you hear me?"

He heard a distant gasp of surprise and then a yelped, _"Oh Tseng!" _Before the rocks began to shift again. This time he could hear Aerith closer. _"Tseng? Grim? You alright?" _Tseng grimaced.

"Seems we're stuck; can't get out this way so far otherwise we might bring the debris down on our heads. What happened?"

"_Someone fell through the roof!"_ Aerith let out; she was obvious worried. _"He wasn't hurt too bad, but I cast cure just in case. He's unconscious for the moment but..."_

"S'okay, flo'er girl," Grim barked from just behind Tseng. "Ya 'elp 'im, yo. Dot'ead an' I ge' out som'ow."

"_Are you sure?"_ Aerith questioned and Tseng winced.

"Until we know who it is who crashed into the church, Aerith, it's best they don't know about me or Grim. Especially if they work for Shinra in any form, understand? We'll try to find a way out...and if we can't we'll risk this mysterious persons help. But that's a last resort, understood?"

"_Alright...be careful and don't do any strenuous activity okay? Besides I want to watch if you do!"_

Tseng felt himself color in horror as he let out a squeaked and sharp, "_AERITH!_" followed by Grim's barking laughter. He could hear the flower girl's chuckles as she walked back to check on her mysterious guest.

* * *

Thirty minutes later Tseng found himself relaxing against the wall, listening to the faint sounds of Aerith busying herself with her flowers and occasionally checking on the unconscious guest. Grim had wandered off to see how large of a space they were stuck in and if there was any possible exit. Tseng had given up after the first five minutes when a rather large rock fell onto his head and nearly killed him. He knew he was still sporting a concussion from that encounter.

"No 'sit th'r, yo," he could hear Grim utter a ways off. "F'nd 'niethin' dot'ead?"

"Kinda have a concussion," Tseng retorted dryly. There was a shifting from beside him and Grim let out a soft groan as he settle down. "Don't care?"

"Nah," Grim chuckled. "Ya fine, yo." Tseng hummed slightly in response. They sat in relative silence for five minutes before Grim spoke up again. "S'why ya hangin' 'round 'ere 'no? Be'n 'round m'ch mo' oft'n, yo."

"Ever since Reno was...listed as traitor those of us who spent any amount of time with him have been...put on simple jobs. Offices...basically we're confined too. We're not allowed to leave Midgar. It's only because my status as Second in Command that I'm not being confined to the offices too..."

"Ev'n Rod, yo?"

Tseng shifted, trying to get a view of Grim's face but the other didn't even glance at him. Worrying his lip Tseng found himself asking, "How...do you know Rod?"

"Flo'er girl go' 'im speak'n. S'I push'd 'im t'wards th' bike's. 'E's th'r ta 'elp Red, ta talk ta Red 'bout tha' which 'e's too scar'd ta tell ya ye', yo," Grim uttered. "Flo'er girl 'new 'bout i', bu' no' all. S'Rod i'special. 'E's no' lik' ya an' 'er. S'mor' lik' Red an' m'yo."

"So you pushed him at us? Trained him up, _tricked_ the Turks?"

"No," Grim bit out. "'E was lik' Red. 'E 'ad nat'ral talen', yo. S'jus' push'd 'im ta ya, an' ya mad' 'im Turk. No' trainin' 'cept ta ge' 'im talkin' norm'l, yo. 'E w'ulda go' th'r soon'r lat'r jus' mad' i' soon'r."

"Oh," Tseng frowned slightly but it made sense he supposed. Really Rod did have talent, and they would've found him out eventually he was sure. "Well what about you? Those scars...you never told me how you got them. They're..."

"Unproffess'nal?" Grim smirked and Tseng felt himself humming in agreement. "Bella s'no' 'nta bein' all proffess'nal. Sh' jus' wan's ta give pain, an' pain. Lik's th' screams, ge' off on i'. Heh, sh' foun' m'an' s'I was th' _white sheep_ o' th' fam'ly sh' tortur'd an' bled m'yo. Crazy bitch, m'cuz'i'."

"Your cousin...?" Tseng blinked. "You were raised that way?" Grim grunted, leaning back. "Huh...I was raised in the old ways of Wutai. I joined the Turks as a part of a treaty." Tseng let out a bitter laugh. "Of course now War has broken out."

"Divided loyalties?"

Tseng sighed, "No. I have nothing left in Wutai; I doubt my cousin even knows I exist. My loyalties remain forever to the Turk's."

"S'lik'a fam'ly eh?"

"Yeah..."

Grim smirked and shifted slightly. Tseng could almost feel Grim's arm through his shirt; he shivered slightly.

"Cold?"

"A bit," the Turk murmured slightly. Grim shifted again and this time Tseng barely contained a yelp as the bigger male pulled him into his lap. "Grim?"

Grim's chest shook as he let out a slightly wheezing laugh, "S'okay, yo?"

Tseng blinked slightly but curled his finger's in the others shirt and mumbled a soft, "Yeah..." He curled against Grim who wrapped an arm around him.

"Good."

Tseng felt himself drifting off.

* * *

"Any luck?" Aerith asked, worrying her lip.

"'_Fraid no' flo'er girl,"_ Grim replied, almost hushed. _"'Dot'ead 'ere s'go' 'urt by debris. 'It 'is 'ead, yo. S'mild concus'n bu' 'e no long'r cons'us, yo. Tha' boy ill'elp?"_

Zack frowned slightly from beside Aerith before letting out a nervous laugh, "Yeah I'll help you guys. Sorry 'bout this...wasn't my intention to fall through a roof! The guy who's hurt, can't move much?"

"_No' righ' now, yo,"_ Grim barked softly. _"An' s'flo'er girl sh'ul' check 'im out, yo."_

"Alright, Grim," Aerith interrupted. "Move to the farthest corner you can and Zack will get started. Zack...be careful, I don't want them hurt any more than they are and Grim said it wasn't that stable so..._please_ be careful?"

"No problem!" Zack grinned and began to shift the pile once he heard confirmation that the two trapped and moved. Soon he had a hole big enough for an average sized person and they could hear Grim's voice clearer.

"'M gonna push dot'ead through; still 'ncons'us, yo. Bett'r b'car'ful boy an' flo'er girl ge' tha Restore o' yer's ready!"

Zack frowned slightly but quickly knelt down to help get the hurt person easier as Aerith darted off for her Restore materia. Of course the minute he saw the face of the person who was hurt he yelled out in surprise.

"Tseng!"

Tseng groaned slightly and Grim barked out a quick, "Oi! B'car'ful, yo!"

Zack swallowed sharply and moved gentler, carefully extracting Tseng and moving him over by the flowers as Aerith instructed. Behind him, unnoticed, Padfoot crawled out of the gap and shifted into Grim. He darted over to Tseng's side as soon he was free and human, kneeling down as Aerith concentrated a healin glow on the pale-skinned unconscious Turk. Zack watched from the sidelines, eyes wide in surprise at the grim-like man with ragged hair and worried grey-blue eyes. He was confused by the worry Aerith and this unknown showed, and by the familiarity. Zack almost took a step back when Grim turned sharply to pin him with a glare before huffing to himself. Grim turned back towards Tseng just as the healing glow ended and the Turk opened his eyes with a grown.

"Ya idiot!" Grim snapped. "Ya were 'urt worse th'n a concus'n! Nes'time tell m'yo! 'Ollar wh'n ya ge' 'it! If'n flo'er girl 'adn't ask'd ya c'uld b'dead b'now, yo!"

Tseng winced at the enraged face of Grim and murmured an apology, to which Grim just growled softly at. As the Turk tried to rise Grim quickly supported him, teeth bared slightly. He shifted Tseng to see Zack and growled something into Tseng's ear which had the Turk turning red.

"Zack?" Tseng questioned, trying to ignore whatever Grim had uttered. Aerith was just giggling softly behind them. "What...how did you fall through the _roof_?"

Zack shifted slightly and turned his head away, "Uh...I kinda...well..."

Tseng sighed and muttered, "Never mind I'll see the report eventually." He glanced at Aerith then back to Zack, "You cannot, however mention Aerith in your report." Zack frowned and opened his mouth to say something when Aerith interrupted.

"Tseng has a good reason why, Zack," Aerith stated. "Please trust and do as he says, but don't mention me or Grim at all." Zack glanced to Grim to see the older glaring daggers at him for a second. When the man tilted his head slightly Zack frowned, confused. When the man laughed Zack took a step back.

"I approve," the man barked at Aerith, chuckles subsiding. Tseng shot Grim a look to which the man shook his head. "Ya don' need ta 'no' Turk. S'b'tween m'an' 'er, yo."

Tseng sighed slightly, "Fine, help me sit down then?"

"Sure, jus' don' sleep on m'yo,' Grim murmured, shifting Tseng over into a corner. Aerith turned towards Zack and bit her lips slightly.

"Aerith...what's going on?" Zack questioned. "What was that...guy saying and how do you know Tseng? I just...please tell me!" He was confused, worried; knowing the Turks wasn't necessarily a good thing so...what was Aerith into?

"Zack..." Aerith touched his shoulder slightly, head bowed. "I'm...not exactly normal. There are people in Shinra who want to hurt me; the Turks are like silent protectors for me. Grim is my teacher, my father figure...so please don't mention any of this!" She turned her head up to stare at him, pleading, begging. "Please Zack! I don't want you to get in trouble but, but if the Turks see you say anything I know it won't end well! I know I just met you and everything..."

"Hey," Zack grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, alright? I won't say anything, I swear." He pulled back to look at Aerith, smiling. "I know I just met you too, but it feels like I've known you forever, so I won't, okay? Just...don't cry. Pretty girl's should never cry."

Aerith hugged Zack tightly, and from the sidelines Grim and Tseng watched, silent. One knowing that they were destined for another despite the underlying sadness in it all, the other calculating and concerned.

* * *

_**Onwards to the Author's Note!**_

_Yup, this signals the start of the downward spiral into the Crisis Core arc. No Reno has not been released from his torture and yes we have skipped a few months. Unfortunately I have plans for Reno and they encompass him being in his current state until the year 2000. So Reno has at least another year to go._

_For now, and the next few chapters, the focus is going to be less on Reno and more on the side characters. Like this chapter was mostly focusing on Grim & Tseng's developing relationship and Aerith's meeting of Zack. I did not rewrite the Aerith/Zack meeting as, well, it should be fairly well known. If it's not...I'm still not going to rewrite he whole thing! You can easily google the Crisis Core cutscenes if you really wish to know. I will say that this chapter took the Aerith/Zack meeting, and then jumped into Aerith&Zack's first date. Of which ended differently in Crisis Core by Aerith asking Zack for help, mentioning her trapped friends. That's the only possible difference available._

_Anyway thank you for the wonderous reviews. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Remember any issues with the slang __**try to sound it out loud first**__. If you are still having problems __**tell me where exactly you want a translation**__ and I will provide one._

_Thank you yet again my readers and reviewers!_

_-TK  
__Twin Kats_


	15. Di

_**Summary: **__Reno has a secret, one that has decided to now bite him in the ass. The eyes of his Mother were more than just a family trait, they were a sign of his destiny, a destiny coming to collect. / FF7HP crossover / Reno/Rufus/Cloud / AU_

_**Planet's Eyes**_

'_**Di**_

**Known Lands: **_circa __**μ εyλ 1999, Early Spring**_

Rod groaned to himself softly, hunkered down in the one corner that he knew the 'camera's' oh so thoughtfully hidden throughout his apartment couldn't fully view. His hands were held up before his face, between them floating and shifting was a glob of water. The television across the room was blaring off some comedy channel but really Rod wasn't paying attention. Heck he was hardly keeping an eye on the water in-between his hands suspend by his very magic!

No, it was times like these, so very recently, that Rod settled into his little corner to think, ponder, and generally curse the days events. He'd only, truly, started this ritual into a habit after Reno had been apprehended last year.

'_Has it really been a year?'_ he mused, twisting his right wrist. The glob of water swirled up, like a cone of ice cream in response.

A year since Reno had made his choice, a year since the general 'house arrest' for all Turks close to the 'traitor' had begun. A year unable to go anywhere without some sort of shadow, watching him like a hawk...Rod snorted bitterly. He had been watched enough, being a thief and a street rat entered into the Turks on pure _skill_ **and** the recommendation of the 'traitor' as he's been more recently known.

Never mind that Gun seconded Reno's opinion after talking with him; no, Gun _had_ to have been tricked! Really, Rod was getting tired of the rumors. He was beginning to fear he might get lynched! It certainly didn't help that the dratted _Revolver_ had been glaring at him and eyeing his own weapon rather casually, as if _daring_ Rod to try something, like Rod would! So Rod was truly only at the Turks for Reno, and would always remain loyalest to Reno, that didn't mean he wasn't loyal to his fellow Turks either! And Reno hadn't spoken a word of this...choice of his for that matter so Rod was well and truly in the dark!

Heck Reno rarely took up the offer for why Rod was there-to talk and _vent_ to, to have someone who knew and could _listen_ to his concerns. To be his rock. So really Revovler's actions were unfounded. Shotgun wasn't any help either, too, as she just sort of stared at him contemplatively. She never outright said anything, but Rod knew she had her suspicions. She may not have believed that Rod was in cahoots with Reno on this whole 'let's get tortured' idea, but she probably guess where Rod's main loyalties would always lay.

"Grah!" Rod slashed his left hand sharply, breaking the twisted glob of water into two peaces and began rolling to pieces around his hands, brown eyes dark.

It really bothered him that he wasn't getting much of a chance to leave. He couldn't give his watchers the slip as that would just raise flags, but he also had a dedication to keep 'Di's main hideout _secret_. While it was certainly useful that the Turks nor anyone in Shinra didn't know they had 'Di's head working for them, and had 'Di's head's loyalty, which by default would be 'Di was loyal to the Turks, as that was just _asking_ for disaster in the end, it was damn annoying for the past year as he _hadn't had the chance to check on 'Di!_ And that was _important._

Rod narrowed his eyes at the two globs of water as he thought, pondered, and worked out the year long problem before him.

He had wanted, the minute he heard that Reno had turned himself in to be arrested, to head right off to 'Di knowing that there would be repercussions on him. However he couldn't leave the office without appearing like an accomplice, so he'd quickly sent out a memo to 'Di letting them know he might not be able to appear anytime soon due to _complications_. And this memo was to only be seen by his second.

The young man had hoped, afterward, that he'd be able to sneak off and get 'Di working on figuring out just what Reno had gotten himself into, but then Verdot had called them all forward-all that knew and spoke with Reno often-and assigned them desk duty. Claimed that they were all, for the time being, liabilities; even forbade them from seeing the red headed Turk. Rod had to immediately scrap over half of his plans with the other half going out the window shortly thereafter when the surveillance was almost tripled and he gained an even closer minder.

And Rod _knew_ that there was something Reno had seen, read, or _heard _that prompted this immediate reaction and subsequent act of _betrayal_. Unfortunately, and this Rod knew to be true, the Turks would not find what it was. Not even Rod himself would be able to dig out the information, _not with the Turks resources_. Now if he could get in contact with 'Di however...well, there was a reason why his headship has always remained a secret from even the Turks. 'Di was _sought after_; they were the _biggest_ and _best_ information-networks around. Even better than Shinra and thier Turks, which Shinra _knew_.

Rod was it's head; Rod was the _head_ of the biggest _information-network_ around. It was a position inherited from progenitor to progeny, not that Rod knew that originally. Oh sure _now_ he knew that his ancestor had started 'Di, and that his great-great-grandfather had made it into the empire it secretly was today, and that his own father was the last head to grace 'Di's hallowed halls, but back when he'd _contested_ the head and won headship? No, he didn't know then. Nor when he was growing up did he even know that he _would_ one day inherit 'Di.

It was, after all, part of the system. 'Di's heads would have a child, then hand the child off to a trusted retainer. That retainer would rear the child as thier own, instilling all qualities that 'Di's head needed, until such a time as the child was old enough to take the headship. Then the child would be prompted to challenge 'Di's current head, or be named successor. In the case of a challenge the child always won; they were never prompted to challenge the current head _unless _they were ready. Occasionally this system induced patricide, but it was rare enough. Usually the heads lasted long enough to name a successor.

Granted Rod's raise to 'Di's headship _had_ included patricide, but Rod had been granted vital information first which allowed him to think of it more as an act of _mercy_. 'Di's then-head was _dying_ of an incurable illness. It was closely nearing the point were he _wouldn't_ be able to name his successor, nor truly fight a challenge to take it. So Rod was prompted to challenge the head, early. Rod won.

It was only then that he learned the truth about his own heritage, and while he grieved for his progenitor, he understood the secrets of 'Di and why this was the way it was. Keep it in the family, as they say, and _no one_ would follow anyone they didn't feel fit to lead them too. If anyone but the retainers or head knew the truth...well, why would anyone of 'Di trust the child of the head? They would treat the child differently, or scorn them for succeeding their progenitor. It was, all in all, better this way.

As 'Di was the biggest and best information-network around Rod knew, without a doubt, that they would be able to find the real reason why Reno had done what he did, and through that clear his name in any form or way that it could be cleared. All he needed to do was get in contact with 'Di and give them thier instructions.

But he couldn't; not chained and bound, in a metaphorical sense, like _this._

Beneath his skin Rod's magic cackled and curled, the water twining around his hands bubbled with the sudden rage Rod had flowing; anger at the confinement he was _facing_ however politely worded it was!

Sparks cracked and there was a bang as the camera's in his apartment broke down, smoking. Rod blinked once, twice, and shot for the door, pausing only to right them and make them look, well, in working order.

Now _why_ had he forgotten the adverse reaction magic had on electronics?

Rod shrugged the thought off, banished the water away, and disappeared out the door silently. He had gang to get back to, and information to seek...

_The ones who sought not to control, but to know, they are the one's that shall, forevermore, be called __**'Di**__._

* * *

_**ONWARDS TO AUTHORS NOTE**_

_I apologize for the lack of updates, I've been...well, busy, obsessed over Merlin, busy, grieving the death of a friend, busy, and museless. Thus super short chapter. Sorry._

_So you guys now know more about __**'Di **__the fictional gang of my creation that Rod was in; it is, however, canon that Rod was in a gang. Rod is technically a canon character even. It's just true lack of anything about him that has made him almost...fanon. Him and a majority of the other Turks._

_Yeah. Next chapter will probably be an interlude, and the right back to Reno torture. With a splash of __**'Di**__. Reno's release should be in another two or three chapters to go, I'm not 100% sure. I might push back his release...you never know._

_Tata_

_-TK_


	16. Christmas Special: The Rewrite

**The Unbeta'd Christmas Special  
**_Green of the Planet_

Here is a sneak preview of the first two new chapters of what will be the rewrite of _Planet's Eyes, _renamed _Green of the Planet_. Yes that is still a reference to Reno/Harry's eyes. Because I don't wish to lose the number of C2's that have listed this story, or the reviews, I'm not going to be posting up the revised and fleshed and changed chapters until I've completed them all, including the one to come after. Since this little thing hasn't been updated in a while though I figured I'd give everyone a treat.

So you guys are getting a sneak preview. I recommend being Anon when you review here because this WILL be replaced by an actual chapter at a later date. In the meantime you guys get to see bits and bobs of the new chapters, so rejoice!

**The Escape To The French Countryside**

They arrived in a sleepy town in the French countryside. Almost instantly after appearing Sirius crashed to his knees, cradling his still bleeding and unconscious godson with as much gentleness as he could, breathing heavily. Tears that he held back at the Dursley house began to fall down his cheeks ever so slightly.

"Harry…" he whispered weakly, his hand shook as he raised one to brush his fingers against the teen's pale and gaunt face. Harry should never have looked this way, he should never have been left there. If only Sirius hadn't let his emotions get the better of his judgment—if only—

"_That's not going to help you now, you know."_

Sirius swallowed heavily and murmured back, "I know." He looked up to see the glowing, transparent form of Ifalna.

"_Is it safe here?"_ Ifalna asked softly, kneeling down before Sirius and Harry. She cast a greenish light across their forms, flickering and wavering almost like a flame. One transparent, slender hand came to brush Harry's hair lightly from his face sadly.

Sirius breathed in deeply, steadingly, and murmured, "I have a contact here that owes me a debt. We'll be safe for another day or two until I can side-along again." Gently he stood to his feet and shifted his godson in his arms. Iflana likewise rose beside him and, as Sirius started walking down the dirt path of the sleepy town—there were no roads in sight—she stepped along behind him. Her footsteps left glowing imprints for just a second before sinking into the earth.

Sirius' eyes narrowed at the sight and he murmured, "Lifestream…" almost subconsciously.

Ifalna nodded, _"Yes. I am made up of it…as I am no longer flesh and blood of the living, I am pure Lifestream. Souls of the long deceased…."_

"Cetra, am I right?" Sirius asked as they walked. He navigated the roads as carefully as he could; looking for the one house he knew would be hidden well. Ifalna behind him leaned a bit to the right, her question in her body language. Sirius grimaced. "It just came to me."

"_You do not know what Cetra are?"_ she asked softly, curiously. Sirius shook his head. _"We are the __Voice the…peacekeepers—healers—of the Planet. We hear Her words and translate for the rest of humankind. We hear Her cries and heal the hurts on Her flesh. In essence we are extensions of Her will…the healers to forestall the WEAPONS."_ Ifalna cupped her hands by her heart as she spoke, her green-ish eyes just a tad distant, her face twisted with a bit of sadness.

She said, _"Most of us…all of us, I suppose, are not among the living anymore."_

Sirius frowned and asked softly, "Surely not _all_ of the Cetra are gone…? Wouldn't that spell disaster, then, if you are the _healers_ of the Planet?" Ifalna smiled almost bitterly.

"_The Calamity wiped us out until the majority of our clans went into hiding. These days the gift—the nature of the Cetra—are gone. I was the last to fully understand our heritage although I suppose…I suppose there is my daughter, Aerith, but…she's too young. She doesn't…understand."_

Sirius stopped and turned and started, "But—" yet Ifalna shook her head and interrupted softly, _"That is a lesson for another time. You must get him safe, first. We'll talk more later,"_ and then she disappeared into streams of what Sirius now realized was Lifestream.

The Black Lord frowned, a sense of sadness washing through him, but he knew Ifalna was right. He had to get Harry safe first, and that meant getting out of Europe alive. Priorities now, he could settle his curiosity later.

**The Not-Quite Romance of Ifalna and Sirius Black**

From Vietnam Sirius arrived in Japan, the final stop before they—him and Harry—would depart for the Known Lands. Ifalna said that Japan was really the only way they could even find transport, as the Japanese were sort of cousins to those of Wutai, the only people in the Known Lands that even knew about what Ifalna called the Ignorant Lands, or where Sirius and the rest of the world resided in.

They spent close to three months in Japan. Sirius intermittently cast cure, learned the local language and the Wutain dialects—which seemed to be an almost combination of Japanese and Russian, and spent nightly lessons with Ifalna. The ghostly woman would share both her life story, the stories of the Cetra, and explain Sirius' own abilities and duties to the Black Lord.

Ifalna would only appear at night, and typically she would form at Harry's bedside. Sirius was witness to her catering to his godson all the times she arrived. They would talk as she soothed Harry in his constant unending slumber. Sirius would find answers to his questions, and then even more questions than answers at the end of those nights.

One night, towards the end of their stay in Japan, Sirius carefully stroked his godson's hair. He contemplated Ifalna and the changes she had brought into his life. A slightly bitter smile was on his lips as silent tears trailed down his cheeks. Every positive change, every single thing that was good in his life could be accounted towards Ifalna. He enjoyed their talks, liked hearing her laugh…

"_Sirius?"_

The Black Lord sighed and turned his grey-blue eyes towards her glowing form. He ignored how the tears still fell down his face and instead murmured, "Ifalna."

Ifalna looked down at her hands, her face a mask of sorrow. She knew what he knew, and her green eyes—just a shade shy of the Lifestream, conveyed her own sadness.

"_I didn't mean…"_ she whispered and Sirius shook his head lightly.

"It's no fault of your own," he replied softly. Ifalna took a step forward, hesitant, and then suddenly she crossed the room and wrapped her form around Sirius. She buried her face into his neck and uttered, _"I'm sorry."_ One of Sirius' hands came up and rested upon her transparent, delicate fingers.

"I know." He closed his eyes as more tears fell down his cheeks. "I know."

That was the first, and last, night that either Sirius or Ifalna spoke upon the subject of the Black Lord's feelings. The next day Sirius gathered a now fully healed Harry into his arms and made his way towards the docks. With the help of the ghostly woman he had unearthed a ship that was willing to transport him and his unconscious godson to Wutai.

It would be three weeks worth of travel before they arrived in Wutai.

**The Costa Del Sol Incident Part 2 Aftermath**

Grim was finalizing the payment for the night when the earth shook and the Planet screeched loudly in his ear.

_Danger—chosen—distress—help—he needs—_

Almost instantly Grim froze, his eyes widened in horror, and he raced out of the inn and down the street. People screamed and mass panic and mayhem overtook the streets. There was smoke, a few fires, and after he rounded a corner, nothing but flat land and crumbled buildings. Leaning against one of the crumbled buildings was a wide eyed, pale, and shaking Reno.

Grim cursed and darted forward, ducking under the arms of the local police. As an afterthought he turned himself invisible and raced out into the rubble. He leaped over jutting rocks, danced around broken bits of glass. He ignored partial bodies and the curl of spilt blood as best he could. Instead he worked his way towards Reno with a single minded purpose.

There were five charred corpses around the shaking fifteen year old. His hair was longer, almost closer to mid-back, but there was no mistaking the fiery red sheen. Grim knelt down, hesitant to touch, and rasped, "Red?" Reno's head jerked up. He was in a full blown panic, something Grim had not ever experienced with his godson before.

He never wanted to experience it again.

_Help—calm—he needs—you need—hurry!—must leave—now!—danger!_

"Oh, red…" Grim muttered and scooted forward.

"G-Grim?" Reno shakily uttered and Grim scooped him up into his arms. He shielded the teen from view, rendering them both invisible—neither noticed that Reno could see him before hand—and then quickly led Reno from the wreckage towards the docks. "G-Grim wh-where are we g-going?"

"We hafta move, red," Grim rumbled softly and tugged Reno along. "Quickly, quickly."

"Wh-What happened?" Reno whimpered. "D-Did I d-do that?"

"Hush, cub, we'll figure this out soon." Grim pulled them behind a building and shed the invisibility with a short wave of his wand. He tugged Reno along again; the teen stumbled slightly behind him. They made their way toward the harbormaster who gaped over where the flattened landscape could easily been seen from. Grim harshly got his attention, practically tossed his gil at the man, and got them a swift escape from Costa Del Sol.

On the boat that night Ifalna came to Grim as Harry slept her face a mix of regret. Grim had almost immediately pulled her into an embrace. He held her tightly, his eyes closed, his breath slightly shaky.

"_I'm so sorry,"_ Ifalna murmured into his chest. _"If I had known…"_ Grim pulled back and stared into her eyes. He asked—demanded—one thing.

"How do I prevent it."

**Reno and Rod Meet For the First Time**

It was strange to know it was winter, but for the temperature to remain unchanged. It was always hot and humid and under the Plate. There was always the stench of mako heavily in the air—the tangy taste of it in the food and the water, even. There was no 'night' or 'day' except where the sunlight filtered down from the areas of construction that was still going on, on the Upper Plate; or when Mako traveling through the pipes lit up the sky.

Reno found the lack of change quite baffling the first time he realized that the 'season' hadn't switched over. For it to be 'winter' and the same as summer, spring, and fall, just compounded the difference more. In fact it was quite strange to even think that in about a month he and Grim would have lived in the slums for a full year.

It was in December when Reno met Rod, the mudslinging, cursing little gutter rat with a heavy burden laid across his shoulders. The kid was wild haired with chocolate eyes that held the barest hint of a glow like nearly every other slum dweller thanks to all the mako surrounding them.

At the time Reno had been slinking around the shadows of Wall Market, looking for his latest mark. He was rather well known to almost all the local gangs of the Sector as the best thief, fence, and lay of the area. He was even rated higher than Corneo's Honeybee whores, amusingly enough. However everyone knew that if you lay with Reno you were most likely to be penniless when you woke up.

Penniless and naked.

Reno's androgynous features were able to snag even the most closeted of men. Many of his female 'conquests' were forgotten to the wayside by this fact.

It had just so happened that the next corner he rounded had the shorter haired, younger red head cursing up a storm. Three bigger, older, and burlier men had him surrounded. Two held him up by the arms while the third stood menacingly before him, obviously the ring leader. Reno didn't quite catch what the ring leader was saying—something about the kid never amounting to anything or maybe it had something to do with sexual favors or something about not making the cut for something else—but he did notice the kids response.

"Ya fuckin' cunt-licker cock-suckin' ma-screwin' pa-whored little pimps boy ain't gonna last two fuckin' seconds once I get—_guh!_" the kid doubled over as the ring leader tossed a punch to the gut. Reno winced appreciatively, especially when the boy spat out blood. A little internal bleeding there, it seemed. There was also a bruise or two readily visible—the kid had a shiner on one eye and a split lip.

The ring leader had said something else, undertone and evil-like Reno guessed, but the kid didn't buckle. Not even when a knife was pulled by one of the goons holding him, and a nifty little interesting piece of work that caught Reno's eyes was unveiled by the leader. It folded out into a shape similar to a nightstick Reno'd once seen some bobby's carry back in London. Unlike the nightstick though this little thing had a switch at the base, keen eyes caught how it would function with the flick of the thumb and a squeeze of the handle. He could even hear the faint hum of electricity all the way at the mouth of the alley.

His mouth watered in desire. He wanted that nightstick-thing.

Reno's reaction to the sight before him was inspired by two simple factors: that deep seated 'saving people thing' that he apparently hadn't quite gotten rid of yet (although it was becoming a near miss as the years grew longer) and in part due to his desire to have that interesting little piece of equipment. The red head could do some real damage and have a lot of fun with that. Therefore he slunk through the shadows, aiming closer to the group. Once he was a few feet away and still unnoticed did he speak up in a rather calm drawl, slouched and hands in his pockets.

"Yo, boys, think ya roughed up th' lad 'nough now don'cha 'gree? Ain't doin' no good ta 'ave a dead body 'ere in th' Market, yo. S'bad fa business, y'see? An' ya lads lookin' like ya know good business."

The thugs or gang members or whoever they were reacted slow. They gave Reno enough time to finish his few sentences in that lazy drawl before the ring leader whirled around in shock, swinging his nightstick that cackled with electricity like it was some sort of club. The move was so slow Reno could duck under it easy and practically calmly lashed out with a sharp kick to the guys' knees.

There was a resounding _crack_ as he busted one of the ring leaders kneecaps. The man went down with a hoarse cry, the nightstick clattering away and the electricity function buzzing down to the lowest frequency. With deliberate slowness Reno knelt down and picked up the weapon. He tested it lightly with a few swings, nowhere near expertly but certainly way better than the thug who held it just a second ago.

With a saucy grin Reno flicked off the electricity function—he already had several thoughts of how to modify his new toy later—and propped it lazily against his shoulder as he regarded the remaining two thugs and the still captive kid.

"Now s'I was thinkin', yo," he said lightly, cheerfully, "that ya give up th' kid, y'know? Aft'r all s'ain't like ya really need ta play th' big boys now. We knowin' ya guys ain't killers, yo."

The kid spoke up, his voice muted slightly, "Act'ally th' are."

Reno's smile grew a bit strained and his grip tightened on the nightstick. "Is tha' righ'?" he asked, voice just a bit tighter. "S'well th'n. Best get ta work, yo."

What followed was nothing more than a deadly dance. One thug fell back, gripping the kid tightly with one hand and a knife held loosely in the other. The second dashed forward and swung out with his own switchblade. Nightstick and switchblade clashed more than once, Reno getting in a few bruising hits with his new weapon and in turn getting a few new gashes that may or may not scar over later. Both the thug and the red headed teenage wizard in hiding were fairly evenly matched until Reno was able to find a hole in the thugs guard. He planted his booted heel firmly into the others gut. A sharp rap with the nightstick had him down for the count like the moaning ring leader.

The third slid the knife away and pulled out a gun in response. Reno paled just a bit but held his ground. He would not run, _he would not run._ Guns could be beat, he knew this for a fact, and he'd _lived_ it. If he allowed himself to let loose the gun was no threat, really. That didn't stop his hand from minutely shaking. He _hated_ guns.

The kid stomped down on the thug's instep, and then provided a sharp palm thrust up. The gun went flying into the air and skidded into the shadows. An elbow into the guys gut and a sharp wiggling motion the brat was freed. Reno darted in to finish him off—rend him unconscious but not dead. He'd rather not have any bodies added to his rap sheet thank you. Once that was done he grinned, pleased with how little damage he'd gotten out of the fight.

Then there was a shout of, "Look out!" and a loud _bang_ of a gun going off. Fiery hot pain blossomed through his chest and green eyes went wide in shock. Reno went down like a sack of potatoes, crumbling to the ground. His red hair fanned out like a halo of death. His vision began to blur and darken; his hearing was already muffled as everything began to fade away. The last thing he could remember was a faint scuffle, muffled sounds of a gun going off, and the brats chocolate eyes peering at him.

Then there was only darkness.

**Cake?**

Now it was Aerith's fourteenth birthday. With the help of Grim and Reno—and possibly Rod although Reno couldn't prove anything—they'd gotten Elmyra and the little Cetra girl to give her Turk watchers the slip. Both knew they wouldn't be able to pull a similar stunt for quite some time; the Turks would be doubly observant after today. Still they considered the endeavor worth it, if only to hold a small little party between the four—the others had yet to meet Reno's little pet-project named Rod—of them in Grim's humble abode.

Aerith chattered on about her special church where she could grow flowers. She was saddened that they didn't have the dark beauty that Grim's own flora held; hers were bright and lively like their caretaker. They gave off the familiar feeling of peace though, and Aerith claimed that being near them made the whispers of the Planet quieter, like how being in Grim's place provided pure silence to her.

Reno presented a small, blue wrap for which Aerith could tie back her every lengthening hair that he'd purchased with stolen gil—not that anyone but Grim knew that. Her last band—a green one from her birth mother Ifalna—was frayed to the point that it no longer worked. Aerith happily accepted her new band and with Reno's careful help braided her hair up with this new one. Reno even helped her hide away the little green ball of materia into the braids with a smile.

The party was interrupted as Aerith was eating a slice of cake, listening to Grim's tales of Reno's parents' youth—even Reno hadn't heard _this_ story—by a light knock. Rod was leaning against wall, just inside the entrance to their abode, with a light smirk.

"I wasn' inv'ted, red?" he asked lightly. Elmyra and Grim tensed. Grim was ready to fling curses and Aerith had reached a hand out to grasp the stave, her present from Grim. Reno gave Rod a tense frown. He was beginning to think the fourteen year old nuisance had a death wish.

"Rod," Reno growled lowly. "Th' s'is priv't, yo. I ain't carin' if'n ya gonna b' th' 'ead o' th' fuckin' world. Ya ain't fuckin' up th' s'one, yo. Go'i?" Rod raised his hands in an 'I come in peace' gesture, ginning widely.

"Sorry, sorry!" he laughed. "Ya know 'ow 'm like, red. Th' s'lov'ly lady bein' th' flo'er girl, ya? Sh' bein' Cetra, ta, m'right?"

Aerith did pull herself back, clutching the stave before her defensively, eyes wide. Grim took a menacing step forward, growling low in his throat. Reno just slouched down and stuffed his hands in his pockets and slinked over to Rod. He punched the kid sharply in the face with a strong right hook. Rod grunted and messaged at his cheek with a slight wince.

"Ya mebbe th' fuckin' 'ead o' 'Di, but ya still a moron, brat," Reno stated bluntly. "Ya ain't s'posed ta go spewin' out ya facts, idiot. Go'i?" Rod gave a rather serious nod in understanding and received one of Reno's wide hundred watt grins in response. "Good! Now if'n ya ain't doin' nothin' com'ere and' lemme intr'duce ya, yo. Flo'er girl, 'Myra, Pads—this'n b' Rod, th' new 'ead o' 'Di. 'E's young, an' a brat, but 'e means well, yo. Rod meet 'Myra th' flo'er girl's ma, th' flo'er girl, an m'dogfather Grim."

"Wassup?" Rod asked, showing just a bit of his teeth in his smile. Grim sighed irritably and shook his head. Leave it to Reno to make odd friends in high places. Aerith slowly eased up, trusting the older teen to know what he was doing, and gave Rod a small, slightly shy smile.

"Hello," she said softly. She picked up a plate of cake and held it out to Rod as a peace offering. "Cake?"

"W'uld love some, m'lady," Rod murmured as he accepted the plate. The party continued on from there, although nobody except Grim and Elmyra appeared to notice how Rod only kept close to Reno, practically within touching distance at all times.

Fingers would brush innocent enough, but nothing more. Grim did spot the near invisible exchange of something between Rod and Reno—that something being a pair of goggles that Reno would begin to wear the next day and every day after, wrapped tight about his forehead, perfectly placed to hide a certain distinguishing scar. That would also be the day Grim would learn of Reno's near death experience in December, and how it was Rod whom he saved and then saved him in turn. He'd learn that it was through Reno's help that Rod was even able to become combat ready enough to take over the group known simple as 'Di.

Grim couldn't have been more proud; that is until the day Reno joined the Turks.

**Tseng and Gun: On a Rooftop**

Gun swung her legs idly off the edge of the building as Tseng remained crouched beside her, binoculars held up to his eyes. She had a light grin across her lips as she silently categorized her superior's every single tell with barely contained glee. There was the light muscle spasm in his neck, the slight twitch of his brow, and the half-subconscious twist of his lips. His left pinky tapped out Leviathan's Prayer in High Wutainese _in Morse code._

If Gun was accurate in her predictions Tseng was about five seconds shy of committing bloody murder on the nearest person. Said nearest person happened to be Gun herself but she figured that just made everything all the more _fun!_ What was life without a little risk, after all? Heck, you couldn't have their job and not love taking risks.

Softly Gun counted down with just the faintest of breaths but no sound, waiting for the inevitable peak of Tseng's temper. Right on target the Turk SiC ripped the binoculars away from his face. He couldn't contain his snarl of absolute disgust any further. Angrily he tossed the binoculars into Gun's lap with enough force that if she weren't prepared she might have gone tumbling over the edge of the building in surprise.

"You're on surveillance duty," he spat. Gun resisted the urge to cackle.

"Not to your liking?" the blonde asked with a saucy grin. Tseng was stiff as he pulled up from his crouch and began to head towards the door to the stairwell.

"I am not a voyeur," Tseng uttered disgustedly. "I'll leave that to you, thanks."

Gun couldn't resist the cackle this time. She cooed, "Aww, did the big bad mean Shinra employee upset your delicate sensibilities, Tseng? I'm so sorry you had to endure that. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be done soon and we can get right back to a happy Tseng!"

Tseng sighed irritably although the ticks and twitches began to subside. He turned back around and settled against the ledge of the building. His back was to the street and he crossed his wrists over his knees. Dark eyes surveyed the lighter counterparts of his partner for a second before he huffed.

"It would be unprofessional if I left now," he muttered. Gun shot him another saucy grin.

"Oh I knew you'd see it my way," she said. "After all, can't have Veld's rookie screwing up again, can we? Once is enough, right?"

Tseng groaned and buried his head in his knees. "You're as much a rookie as I am, Gun. And it was once! I was new! It was _two years ago!_ Can't people let that go?"

Gun snickered and pulled the binoculars up to her eyes. She began to watch with the barest of interest their target. "Oh you've gotten better, everyone knows it, especially after Veld took you to task over the whole thing. Granted I suppose the having your failure inadvertently end up being part of the reason why the Director's family died also helped in that, hm? Poor man…."

"It's a lesson that I wish I hadn't needed to learn." Tseng scrubbed at his face. "The costs…were higher than I would ever have wished for. I regret…."

Gun rolled her eyes. "That's not why I brought it up, hotshot. You screwed up, it happens. Veld doesn't blame you, neither does the department. The only one even remotely angered by the entire affair was the President and that's because he's a bigoted ass as you very well know."

"Gun!"

"What? You know it's true!" Gun protested. Tseng just chuckled. "As a change of subject, any news on our interesting little red headed slum rat?"

Tseng leaned his head back and peered up at the Plate in contemplation. "He's still mostly an enigma. We got his age and that he's an orphan but that's it, really. We know he works as a thief, a fence, and as a whore. We know he's good at ferreting out information—half the high profile gangs are looking into him as a prospective investment…." Gun whistled appreciatively. "Veld is of the mind we should pick him up sooner rather than later, before someone else gets their hands in him."

"I'll say, with skills like that?" Gun murmured. "He'd make a great stealth expert, maybe even a good assassin…."

Tseng snorted, "Not likely. He appears to have a sense of…justice; a lack of killer's intent but not instinct. He only disarms, never eliminates, his targets. He roughs them up, steals from them, and then moves on. He has a great tacticians mind, though. Able to think up a plan on the fly….I can see him as a stealth and information source for the department, and he might have more skills we have yet to see…the fact that he doesn't kill though works against him."

Gun hummed appreciatively before tossing the binoculars at Tseng and rolling off the edge and back into the roof in a smooth motion. "Target's on the move," she uttered professionally. Tseng pulled himself to his feet and quickly packed away their equipment. Within a minute they were gone from the roof, no remaining sign of their presence.

On the ground Grim eyed the rooftop thoughtfully, and then glanced over at the building the Turks had been watching. He turned and disappeared into the alley without a word; a plan began to form. If recent developments were to be believed, and the Planet's own whispered mutterings, then it wouldn't be too long before Reno met the Turks face to face.

And he knew just how to push them into one another's path. His lips curled slightly. Yes, that would work perfectly.


End file.
